Damien's Daughter
by twiniitowers
Summary: And you thought your adolescence was Hell…
1. Puberty (13)

_**Damien's Daughter **_

**_And you thought your adolescence was Hell…_**

** _Some original characters added. Canon characters created by David Seltzer and Joseph Howard for the novelizations and also Seltzer for the screenplay of The Omen. Plus Harvey Bernhard, Stanley Mann, Mike Hodges, for the D: OII script. I own nothing. This is a Hollywood version of a Hollywood story and not meant to be an accurate description of anyone's religious doctrines or beliefs. This was written just for fun. Follows the history of my _ _Why Me?: A Damien: Omen II Story. This will be put in the 'T' section until the story progresses where I will have to move it over to the 'M' section._ **

**Follows the adventures of Ravender Thorn &amp; her relationship with her Father.  
**

**Born: 6/6/86**

**Told in 6 Parts. (but not 6 chapters)**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 6, 1999 **

**The Occasion: Damien (37) and Ravender's (13) Birthday Party. **

** _Dear Diary, _ **

** _I really don't want my Father to wind up President of the United States. He was an US Ambassador. Then he was a Senator for two years before becoming CEO of Thorn Industries. I thought he did that backwards, he once told me that there was a reason for everything and for me to mind my own business. He is so strict. I can't stand it. Nothing makes sense. I know my Mother and Father don't sleep together. I just wish they'd divorce like normal people. My Father lived with her family, when her father was President, due to his Father Robert Thorn going insane and trying to kill him inside a church, his wife mysteriously died in the hospital. Then he went to live with his Uncle Richard, Aunt Ann, and Cousin Mark…but we are NOT allowed talk about any of this. They are all dead. Why? Today is my Father and I's birthday party. I couldn't even have my OWN birthday. I had to be born on his. Everyone likes Damien Thorn. Not me. I'm not fond of him at all. He never hugs me; he never tells me he loves me. Why? My Mother, who keep in mind, is in a LOVELESS marriage, is the one planning this party at Everest on LaSalle St. Why? Here's what's going to happen…we'll pose for pictures like the happy family we aren't and no one is going to have a good time. It's all for show. I can tell my Father hates doing that, so why does he? I know he's having an affair…or affairs. Sometimes, I just cannot stand Damien – excuse me former Senator Damien Thorn. Future President of the fucking United States of America, Damien Thorn…god, I hope not. I don't want to be First Daughter. I don't like ponies. I don't want to be a role model. I don't want to wear make-up. (well, maybe nail varnish). I don't care about teen idol fads. Damien, you better NOT run for President…I'll run away…I fucking swear. Being 13 sucks. _ **

** _R. Thorn _ **

** _June 6, 1999_ **

* * *

Ravender Thorn locked her diary and put it in her (also under lock and key) desk drawer. She took her brush off her desk and tried to make her dark hair presentable. She hated dressing up. She'd rather wear her torn jeans and rock band t-shirts. Damien once told her "Metallica is not real music." her Mother wanted her to wear dresses and embrace the color pink and be sugar and spice and everything nice, but ended with contradictory statements such as she should keep her grades at 'A' level so she could attend the best universities.

She just wanted to be herself and wearing an age-appropriate black dress with shiny black shoes was not who she was.

She didn't even know what she wanted to be when she grew up. She felt that something was going to happen or might happen in the future. Maybe that dread was knowing she was the only girl in her class not to have-her-time-of-the-month yet and it was starting to piss her off or it could have been something else like having to be at a grown-up party when it was HER birthday.

Her feelings didn't seem to matter to anyone. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in."

"Ravender Thorn, this room or what you call a room, is such a mess."

"I like it this way, Mother."

Was it really that big of a deal if her clothes, records, and papers were all on the floor? It was an organized mess and she knew where everything was.

"You still should clean it once in a while. Is that the dress you are wearing to the party?"

"Yes. Why?"

"What happened to the dress I bought you at Marshall Fields?"

"It's pink, frilly, and ugly. I'm NOT wearing that."

"You'd look so much prettier with a little color. Do you want me to help you with your make-up?"

The rule was, and it was from her mother, because she knew that Damien did not care, when she turned thirteen, she could wear cosmetics.

"I'm _NOT_ wearing any make-up. Does balm for chapped lips count?"

"It's your birthday, Ravender. You can do what you like."

She laughed on the inside. "Then please leave so I can finish getting ready. Where's Father?"

"Downtown. He'll be meeting us there."

_He's probably having sexual relations with someone other than you. _

Ravender thought back to when she looked at her parents school annuals and her mother was fresh-faced, teen magazine pretty, like the kind of young girls who do ads for acne medicine and yet their skin was flawless.

Melissa was on the tennis team and art club at school, with the entire world handed to her being the daughter of the President. She was a few years older than Damien.

How did she wind up being such a robotic political housewife with her meaningless charities? Damien, while attractive, looked stern in his pictures, like a forty-year-old-trapped in a teen body sort of way. Even then it looked like he could have murdered you in your sleep.

_I'd rather jump out the window then go to this party._

But no one heard the young girls cries.

* * *

**An anonymous five-star hotel suite in downtown Chicago**

The woman reached her climax and slowly rested her head on his stomach when the act of pleasing him was over.

"Happy Birthday, Damien." Her legs were like jelly.

He briefly smiled, "Katie B., do you have the gift?"

"Yeah, it's in my purse. I need to ask you a question though."

"Go on."

She reached for her black bra that wound up around the bed post.

"When did you want me to start on _things_?"

"Eager, aren't you?"

"Just ambitious."

It was in her blood; after all her name was Katherine Buher.

"How about this? _When I say so_."

She knew that was the end of the conversation. "All right, Damien. I guess I'll shower and change and meet you and your family at the party."

She kissed him on the lips, knowing that she was one of the few that was able to sleep with the Antichrist. He didn't have to love her, but she hoped that he really appreciated her loyalty.

Katie B. was loyal before she ever met him at Thorn when he was a senior cadet at the military academy and came around under the guise of the Young Men's Business Council, when it was really to have secret meetings with her uncle.

"I'd rather not even bother."

Damien could do without the ever important keep up with false appearances. He absolutely loathed his bore of a wife. When his Father ordered him to procreate with her, it was a bigger battle of the highest order _then when he wanted to pursue..._

_No. I don't want to think about this right now. _

"Did you get the calling yet to announce your candidacy?"

"No. I think I'm going to take a nap before I get ready. Leave the gift on the dresser on your way out, Katie B."

"Okay, Damien," She kissed him on cheek, "Sweet dreams."

He didn't even know if he loved his own daughter. She looked just like him with dark hair and she had slight freckles across her nose and on the tops of her cheeks that would disappear with time. She was such a moody little piece of energy. He could allow her existence for the greater good of his dark path, but he did NOT have love anyone that he had no desire to.

* * *

**Everest Restaurant**

**40****th** ** Floor**

The girl clutched at her stomach. Did this have to happen right now? She blocked the pain out of her mind by breathing in and out while her mother went on about useless topics like seating arrangements and place settings.

This whole place was such bullshit. First, their limousine had go into the underground garage, their chauffeur Rick had to ring the buzzer and they were presented tickets for attendance tracking purposes, go to the lobby, get in an elevator, and then having stop on the 39th floor for security measures, go the black elevators that finally took you to the fortieth floor.

The signs outside said One Financial Place* as to not let societies misfits who panhandled for loose change for a cup of canned soup from the local diner know what the inside really was.

Ravender supposed she didn't want to be a hypocrite, she liked being financially secure, but she really felt the showing off the money for photo opportunities and secret handshakes that would only boost her Father's status was something she personally did not need.

She slouched in the red velvet chair hating her life, but automatically sat up straight and that could mean only one thing. Her Father was present. Her stomach cramps hurt like hell. She refused to get up while she rested her head on the green tablecloth.

"Hello, Darling." Melissa kissed Damien on the lips.

_D - It can't come soon enough. _

Ravender must have started to drift off to sleep because Damien harshly whispered in her ear, "Get up now."

He would have pulled her up by her hair if his wife were not present.

The feeling was mutual because she would have pulled no punches and would have said the 'F' word right to his face if they were having this discussion in the family townhouse.

"I AM UP. Are you happy, Father?"

"Don't you take that tone with me."

"Damien, Ravender, you two shouldn't be cross with each other. It's your birthdays, a time to celebrate."

Did her Mother have to put a happy face on everything?

"I'm going to the restroom if I am allowed to." She was tempted to do the Nazi salute, but refrained from doing so.

Damien gave her his 'get out of my face' look with his piercing eyes and that was the only approval that she needed to at least get a break from her parents, especially her Father, for a while.

It didn't take her long for her to enter the beautiful restroom with its green and gray etched marble and solid gold fixtures that she felt the warm and thick dark menstrual blood running down her thighs while she collapsed on the cold floor from the intense abdominal pain. Her last conscious thought was…

_Father, I wish you loved me. _

_Why is it that you don't love me? _

* * *

_**Author's Note: *Yes, this is a real exclusive restaurant for the elite in Chicago and that is how you have to enter the building. That is confirmed on their website. However me describing the inside is entirely fictional.** _


	2. The Flow (13)

**Chapter 2**

**The Flow – 13**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 6, 1999**

**The Occasion: Damien (37) and Ravender's (13) Birthday Party. **

Damien was getting rather annoyed.

The guests were supposed to be arriving in an hour and the drag was in the kitchen to make sure that the food served would garner a mention in the _Chicago Tribune_. It's not that he wasn't relieved that she was gone, but she wasn't tending to their daughter and that suddenly fell on his shoulders to look after the brat.

He was slightly taken aback when two soft hands with long red painted nails were placed over his eyes in order for him to guess who; he slightly smiled.

"I'm glad you could make it, Katie B."

She was disappointed that Damien didn't seem to notice her borderline appropriate frock – a scarlet wrap dress that showed just a hint of cleavage with matching stiletto heels.

"What's wrong, Damien?"

"Would you go in the bathroom and check on Ravender?"

She sighed in her head, "Sure."

Katie B. certainly hoped that whenever it was time for Melissa Thorn's unfortunate and unforeseen accident that she was _not_ going to be put in charge of taking care of _the kid_.

She knew the layout of the Everest. She was here twice, once upon her acceptance at Kellogg when her Uncle Paul took her here to explain how to falsify documents and the second was as a guest for one of her classmates birthday parties.

Katie B.'s mouth let out a surprise gasp when she saw Damien's daughter on the floor her legs covered in blood. She wondered why Damien didn't sense this?

It's not that he loved her, it was no secret, that the reason for him to even have an offspring was to help _HIS DESTINY_ to be President and to get that accomplished one had to appeal to the gullible masses who thought a President had to be married, saddled with a kid, and one who did not question Christ. _One Nation Under God _and all of that other misguided crap.

It's not that she was even a real person. She was more like a pawn in the scheme of things. Maybe Damien wanted her to die on the cream colored tile. Did Satan want her to die? Katie B. thus far never accepted Ravender Thorn on her own merits. She was not about to make this judgment call. She was going to have to leave her right where she was.

She was still breathing. She had to get Damien and find out what he wanted done. There was no way she was going to mess up everything she ever worked hard for this insignificant piece of flesh.

Katie B. did not have to go very far as soon as she opened the door she almost bumped square into Damien's chest.

"Damien," She whispered, "I'm glad that you are here."

He sensed that something was amiss, that was why he sent his wife along with the master chef to go into the wine cellar to find a suitable vintage from the private Thorn collection.

She let him go ahead of her. Damien had no emotion on his face when he saw his daughter lying on the floor.

The odor was foul like copper, urine, and a rotting flesh smell. Katie B. was not about to tell him that was not average. They both knew _the child's_ DNA. He did not miss a beat which still amazed her.

"Here's what YOU are going to do. Pull the fire alarm, when you are all out on the street, you can tell Fire Chief Fitzpatrick, in private, that I ordered it. Just tell my wife that we left ahead of them. I'll take care of this."

"Of course, Damien."

As long she didn't have to play nursemaid to the little girl who fainted just because she got her first period was fine by her. When Katie B. left that was when Damien bent down and put his right hand down on her forehead.

"You're a biological woman now and yet your Daddy still has to fix your problems."

_**THIS IS UNBECOMING BEHAVIOR FOR AN ADULT MALE **_

_**DAMIEN, KEEP ON WHINING, BECAUSE THAT **__**IS**__** WHAT YOU ARE DOING, AND YOU WON'T LIVE TO SEE 38 **_

"You should be happy that Satan is fond of you."

Damien went around his daughter to the powder blue cabinet below the sinks and took out a big fluffy, of course it just had to be white, terrycloth towel with an 'E' embossed in script.

That's when he heard the fire alarm go off. It was quite the piercing and unnerving sound for the weak.

He wrapped the towel around her mid-section and closed his eyes to envision everyone leaving, it was only when he was certain that everyone else was gone, that he carried his daughter to the back office.

He placed her on the cocoa colored leather sofa.

Damien then locked the door, took off his 18-karat gold Rolex watch and his black blazer and placed them across a folding chair. He rolled up the sleeves of his crisp white oxford shirt and kneeled down beside his daughter. "and you should be grateful that I LOVE my Father…"

_**EVER SO TOUCHING**_

He only allowed himself to love one human and that - Damien broke from his own thoughts as he smoothed her hair. There was an obvious marking right where his was and she never had one before, which was why, he never bonded with his daughter, and he looked every inch of her over the day she was born as she came out totally bald with a hint of peach fuzz.

_Did she?_

Before he could deal with her physical female problems, he had to be certain. He went over to the desk and thought of the foolish people that don't keep their private spots locked.

He took the small pair of scissors out of the pencil holder. He needed a mirror. Sure where was his Father now? He found a brown plastic woman's powder compact. If she didn't have _the mark_ as she never had prior what did that mean? She was still needed. The wife wasn't needed, but the young – the newly adolescent was. If she did have the marking –_ what was HER purpose and how was it going to mesh with HIS?_

He really didn't need the scissors; he just needed to clear a path and removed a small bit of her dark hair. It smelled like strawberries due to her shampoo. The lights were already on so he did not need a flashlight to see what was below him.

_**6 – 6 **_

_**Six Six**_

_Two sixes?_

What did that mean? Now he thought his Father had to be messing with his own mind. Damien was going to have process this later. Time was not on his side.

_Damn this girl. _

* * *

**Outside **

At least it was June and the weather was deliciously mild. Katie B. did part of her task, but when she saw Melissa Thorn walking towards her, the look of worry on her generic _Town &amp; Country_ face, all she wanted to do throw her in front of the incoming traffic. Melissa's eyes were mascara stained.

"Katie! Did you," She elevated her voice due to the alarm, "see Ravender and Damien?"

What a 'good' mother to put her daughter's name first. What a crock.

"I think I saw them ahead of you."

"It seems like a false alarm."

She let her voice trail off as there were no signs of smoke let alone any flames. They just had to be okay.

Sure Damien was not an attentive husband (nor father), but neither was her father to her mother. She assumed it just came with the territory. She briefly remembered that it was her mother that let her and five-year-old-Damien ride their scooter and tricycle respectively _inside_ the White House when her father was still in Europe for a summit as they tried to contact Richard and Ann Thorn so that little Damien could live with his surviving family.

"Come on, let's go talk to the manager and see if we can go back inside." Katie stated in a voice meant to reassure Melissa.

* * *

_R – Hail Satan?_

Ravender fluttered her eyes open like butterfly trying to gracefully land on a floral landscape.

Her mind was all static as she looked around the room and tried to figure out where she was.

She was covered with a blanket and didn't know how she got here on this sofa.

All she knew was that those excruciating cramps were gone and foul stench vanished. She turned her head and saw her Father put his blazer back on and fastened his watch around his wrist.

She was about to say something to him but her voice was too weak.

The door opened.

"Damien, Darling, there you are!" Melissa exclaimed with Katie B. behind her.

"We just got here."

Melissa kneeled down in the same position Damien was in ten minutes ago, "Sweetie, are you all right?"

"I," She coughed, "I got my period…and…"

"And on your 13th birthday…."

Was she for real?

"Why don't we let her rest?" Damien added.

"Of course, you can still open your gifts and have your Father-Daughter dance. I'll have someone bring you a cup of tea. Rest your eyes, Honey."

When Melissa left, Damien put his hands on Katie B.'s shoulders.

"Rick will take you to the townhouse. Can you get something out of her closet?"

"Of course, Damien."

"I know you are angry, but too damn bad, Katherine. Do you think that I like disruptions? I don't even want to be here. You will do what you are told."

This behavior was not like Katie B., such as her Uncle Paul, she was always immersed in the task(s) at hand and her loyalty to him and his Father never wavered. So why cop an attitude now?

She bowed her head down before she replied, "I'm sorry, Damien. I'll be back in ten minutes. I'll have Rick run all the red lights."

They said their goodbyes.

_R_ – _What were you two arguing about?  
_

_R - Well, that makes two of us, Father. I DO NOT want to be here either….._

"Father…"

Her voice started to return to normal, she tried to sit up as the immense pain was gone, but she still felt the flow of her monthly cycle and did not feel bad for the person who was going to have to clean all of this up.

She held out her hand, Damien was surprised at himself for actually taking it in his, as long as she showed him some respect.

"What is it?"

She had so much to ask him but this was not the time nor the place for such a conversation.

"Thank you."

Damien allowed himself to briefly look down on his daughter's face and smile.

When her Father left the room that was when Ravender Thorn closed her eyes.

_**Author's Note: I didn't forget my Part 2. I'm just stuck on a small inconsequential scene, which I still have to get correct. I figured if I go between the these two stories and work on editing an old one-shot, it will keep my creativity flowing. **_


	3. I Know Daddy's Little Secret (13)

**Chapter 3**

**I Know Daddy's Little Secret – 13**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 6, 1999**

**The Occasion: Damien (37) and Ravender's (13) Birthday Party. **

**The Backroom**

Katie B. tried to not be envious, but she should be out there having a dance with Damien under the guise of being friends and work associates while Melissa watched and didn't think anything of it.

When she returned to the back office, which was almost akin to being in a servant's quarters for fuck's sake, she noticed a cup of tea that was not touched on the end table and heard a shower running.

She knocked on the door. Damien's earlier verbal warning, made her push down what she really felt, out of her body. It shook her up. There might have been a conflict and she didn't want to have one. Not with him. Not being one of the people in the Antichrist's trusted circle. That was unacceptable to her.

"It's me."

Ravender wiped her eyes with a blue washcloth.

"Did you bring me my dress, Katie B.?"

It just better not have been the pink frilly Marshall Fields frock otherwise she was going to walk out of here with a towel wrapped around her for _everyone_ to see with a fresh trail a blood going down her legs.

"Yes."

"Good. You can hang it on the hook, Thanks."

"I also brought you..."

Which Katie B. wasn't going to reveal to anyone, but she paid for her trip to the pharmacy with her own money. Maybe she could lie on her tax returns like she always did.

"You can leave the bag by the toilet, but don't go. _I have to talk to you_ when I'm done."

Who was she to give orders? But knowing that could get back to Damien OR he could just feel her being belligerent without Ravender having to say a word , she took a deep breath to center herself, "Okay…." It's not like she wanted to eat or drink anything. No. She just wanted to tend to her. This girl and her coming-of-age problems was not supposed to be part of her calling.

"Thanks."

Ravender didn't like using the products that weren't hers, and she supposed this was what one would call being in a bind.

She was going to have take another shower when she got home. When she put the cap back on the, albeit designer, but still not her preferred brand of shampoo, she thought she had her father figured out. Yes. It made perfect sense as she put her head under the shower to rinse the suds out. She could get all of this done in five minutes, but it was _delightful _that she kept the older woman waiting.

She knew that Katie B. wanted to dance with her father and whisper secret notions in his ear.

_That's what_…her mind stopped her from thinking of the rest.

* * *

When the hush-hush word got out that Damien's daughter was 'sick' a staff member handed Katie B. a white laundry bag and told her that when they were done the maintenance staff would clean up here like they did the restroom earlier before the guests arrived. They also offered to do laundry service for her clothes free of charge.

"Are you still there?" Ravender called out from behind the closed door.

She felt like she was dreaming. Did she go up a teensy bit in the bust area? She almost couldn't wait to go back to her stuffy boarding school to compare notes with the other girls.

'You know I am.' "Of course. Do you need anything?"

"No…actually," She opened the door, "We're both female." She fastened her bra in front of her. She didn't care if Katie B. watched her get dressed once she took care of her issues.

"What can I do for you?"

"Do you have any make-up in your purse?"

She didn't know where the thought came from because when she left the house with her mother, she did not want to put any cosmetics on. Now she wanted to be presentable. Why was her body manipulating her in so many ways today?

Katie B. handed Ravender her Gucci bag where the young girl took out the matching cosmetics case and dropped the purse on the floor.

She took a black eyeliner pencil and amazed herself how perfect the lines were on her lash line when she never applied it before. _Who am I trying to impress?_

"Do you have any perfume?"

Katie B. did not know how much she could take of this insufferable child. Just because she had her period and could physically have a baby did not mean she knew about life matters. It certainly did not make her an adult. No matter who her father was. She knew she couldn't lie, so she was stuck and had to honor her requests.

"Coco Chanel or a sample of Cartier Pasha Fraîcheur Menthe?"

"I'll take the Cartier. By the way, Katie B., you're probably wondering why I wanted to talk to you?"

Ravender slid into her tights and put on her navy dress and shoes. "_I know you ARE sleeping with my Father. _You don't have to confirm or deny anything that I already know…._I know a great deal. _I didn't see a hairdryer in the bathroom…"

"_I AM_ entitled to a private life. Here – the only thing you can do on short notice is to brush it out and put your hair in a ponytail."

The brush and her elastic bands were also in her purse. Why not take everything she owned?

"Then I might as well borrow your lipstick."

"Of course."

Every thirteen-year-old snot should be wearing a Chanel lipstick in a flirty red shade. Katie B. was never so happy to see the bore of a wife then she was at that moment when she came in through the door.

"Oh, look at how pretty you are, Ravender! Katie, how did you get my daughter to put on make-up? You will look so much better in your pictures. Let me brush your hair."

"I can do it myself, Mother."

"I had them push back dinner and extend the open bar. Thank you so much for being there, Katie. You are a true friend. Go ahead and have a cocktail before dinner, you deserve it."

Katie B. knew there was no appetizer course per Damien's suggestion. It was just his way to make the evening go faster, but that was before the flow of Ravender River.

Ravender handed Melissa her purse, "Thank you, Katie B."

Even if Melissa was dense, Katie B. knew a mocking tone when she heard one. But as soon as she got the okay to leave, she was out of there without looking back. She hoped that Damien never grew to love his child especially when the time came for him to be a single father to this argumentative adolescent.

"Do you have any questions?"

"I know what my period means, Mother. I'm not stupid."

Melissa hugged her daughter and made sure her ponytail was presentable for pictures.

"I know that, Honey. Come on, let's join your Father."

For some unknown reason that made the younger Thorn very happy.

* * *

The bar area was noisy but that was a welcome change.

Katie B. did not want to talk to anyone at the moment and didn't even scan the room for Damien. Besides if he wanted her, he would find her. She did not want to talk business with her fellow Thorn executives. She did not want to talk to anyone from the political world. She didn't know when Damien was going to announce his Presidential aspirations, which was more up to his Father deciding the timeline than him. She did not want to talk to Melissa's friends that headed up multimillion dollar non-profits and acted like they were doing good for the poor and disenfranchised and yet they carried Hermes bags and went on expensive luncheons.

She wanted one glass of red wine and she didn't care what the vintage was or where it came from. She was exhausted. There was no way taking care of Damien's child was going to be her future. Absolutely the fuck not. Katie B. almost jumped sky high when Damien stood beside her.

"It looks like you could use another."

He wanted a refill of his whiskey and cola on the rocks.

"Yes, Damien. _I am tired._"

When Melissa made sure Ravender was seated at the head table, she walked over to her husband and friend. She put her arms around Damien.

It did Katie B. good to know, that he didn't love her one bit. Why not let her have this time when she thought her husband actually did love her?

"Katie, you'll be seated at our table."

"Thank you, Missy."

Damien raised an eyebrow.

Women were always amusing creatures to him.

* * *

Ravender thought that while her Mother planned this party for her Father, other than her name on the cake and reception program, she never would have known this party was for her as well.

She didn't ask her if there were any people from school that she wanted to invite. Ravender's roommate and friend was Sarah McAllister. Her Father owned a music empire and even if Sarah had a slight crush on her "dreamy Father", it would have been nice having some her age to talk to. This was a party for the adults.

She looked at the name tags in Old Script calligraphy. Melissa put Damien in the middle of herself and Katie B., which was stupid. Ravender drank her plain cola from a thin red straw in a crystal hi-ball glass. She thought her drink may have been spiked when she heard _**YOU'RE A WOMAN NOW**_ coming out in a low hum from the ventilation system. She decided to play along.

_R- Who is talking to me?_

_**YOU'RE SO PRETTY, RAVENDER THORN **_

_R - No one else can hear you. So I will ask again, who is talking to me?_

_**YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID. I WILL NEVER HURT YOU, MY SWEET BEAUTY**_

"Stop slouching," Her father harshly whispered in her ear and issued a command. Now that was the comforting voice she recognized and understood.

"Damien, be quiet. Did you need an aspirin. Is your stomach okay?" Melissa offered

"No. I'm fine, Mother."

Katie B. felt a presence leaving the room, she was certain Damien was also aware of it. It could only mean his Father was checking up on them.

"It certainly got chilly in here. I will ask the manager to readjust the settings."

"Why don't you take a walk with my Mother?" Ravender requested to Katie B. before the first course would be served.

Katie B., who Damien knew was pissed left with 'her dear friend' Melissa.

Damien almost admired her take-charge attitude. Apparently she had something to say and needed them to leave the table in order for her to say it to him.

"What is it?"

But Ravender was going to have learn the art of perfect timing as one of Damien's former Senator buddies came over to the table. She said her polite 'hello' like she was taught to do in elementary school and excused herself to the restroom.

* * *

**Restroom**

Ravender almost didn't recognize the person with the made-up face staring back at her in the mirror.

She needed to feel the hot water on her hands and washed them with the blue pearlescent soap that was in the dispenser. You'd never know she fainted and almost bled, to what she felt, could have been her death in here.

She felt the presence follow her into this room, but this time they were quiet, but she heard the heavy animalistic breathing and it scared the Hell out of her.

She was certain of her Father's secret, this had to be it.

_**Hail Satan – **_Those were the words he said while he was tending to her. Those were indeed the words he said.

Ravender Thorn had it figured out. She knew her Daddy's Little Secret.

_**Damien Thorn was a Devil Worshipper….**_


	4. Can't You See? (13)

**Chapter 4**

**Can't You See? – 13**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 6, 1999**

**The Occasion: Damien (37) and Ravender's (13) Birthday Party.**

**Restroom**

No sooner than Ravender dried her hands on the small robin's egg blue colored towel that was hanging from the gold ring next to the soap dispenser, her mother came through the door to smother her. She must have gotten the room temperature fixed and ditched Katie B. in the process.

"Mother_, I'm fine_."

The breathing intensified, but her Mother couldn't hear it. Why? She knew insanity ran in the Thorn family, granted Damien was a Thorn by adoption, but maybe it was an environmental sort-of craziness and not a biological one? That was for him. Hers was another story; she was HIS child, couldn't she inherit his madness? Not that her father showed any signs of any.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about anything?"

"I'm certain," Ravender sighed, "maybe I'll feel better when I have dinner."

_**LOOK INSIDE YOURSELF, PRETTY GIRL **_

_R - Stop it. Whoever you are, will you please stop bothering me? _

* * *

**The Head Table**

"It looks like you lost your best friend." Damien commented in-jest when Katie B. came back to the table sans his wife.

"She went to check on **your** kid. While they are gone, I have something else to ask you. Are you done with your portion of The TMMP?"

Damien started this initiative when he was still a Senator. Katie B. was responsible for everything except for the contents of the blue folder which Damien told her that was his and only his to do.

"I'm working on it and I never stated a timeline."

His curt response gave Katie B. a pause for her to stop pursuing the topic further. She knew why it was difficult for him and she realized why he wanted to be the only one in charge of the blue folder, but it had nothing to do with him becoming President. It was only something that would enhance that and make him appear more human for certain demographics.

These were points that Damien was already aware of and on his list of conversational areas that he didn't want anyone to bring up unless he did so first. Katie B. knew better than that. What was wrong with her?

Ravender went back to her seat and wondered what her Father and his mistress were talking about while her and Mother were gone?

The waiter came by with the soup course and now Ravender was going to have to take a few spoonful's of this brown broth just to satisfy her Mother and to get that mysterious voice out of her head. All she wanted to do was finish the requirements of the evening, go home, take another shower, and go to sleep.

* * *

**After Dinner  
**

Damien was at the age where he really didn't need any pomp and circumstance where a birthday party of this type was concerned and Ravender was too embarrassed.

The photographer told her to "look up." She had her right hand over her Fathers, there was a slight, she didn't know how to describe it, a static burst that went through her whole body and she wondered if he felt it as well?

_**YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL **_

_R- Leave me the FUCK alone. _

Damien heard his daughter in his head. Was she referring to him? Her mother? The photographer? Melissa gushed and wanted "just one more" picture for the family album before the Father-Daughter dance. Damien needed to figure this out. He put on his best concerned face to signal to his wife that he wanted no more cake-cutting pictures.

"I guess that's enough for now." Melissa stated to the photographer.

She was going to make sure though that more photographs were taken while Damien and Ravender had their dance.

_D- Father, are you talking to HER?_

_R – Oh…MAKE IT STOP. _

_D- Ravender, can you hear me? Just hold my hand and we'll get through the crowd and onto the dance floor. Just show no emotion on your face other than a polite smile. _

_**LOOK WHO IS BEING FATHERLY NOW**_

Damien didn't know if he was feeling a genuine concern or if he just didn't want to be embarrassed.

_**[Air – Johann Sebastian Bach]**_

His hands were firm and hers were cold and clammy. Ravender allowed her body to relax after the voices in her head stopped. She looked into her Father's eyes. He didn't say anything about her face being made up.

"Father, I'm tired. After this, may I please go home?"

That might be better for everyone involved. Melissa would just have to do without any my-daughter-is-opening-her-presents photographs, besides it's not like she would have time to reminisce over them.

"Sure. I'll walk you down to the car when this is done."

She was shocked that he didn't want to feed her to a pack of angry wolves. She did have to admit that she did enjoy dancing to this slow classical piece with her Father. It seemed a rather intimate thing to do. He almost downright nice, whether it was put upon or not, he almost treated her like a human being.

That was almost too easy, whether that was a genuine concern for her or if she just wanted to be rid of her. Ravender did not care. But how could she run and hide when the voices, even if they were currently dormant, were inside her own head?

This was proof positive as she gazed into her Father's intense eyes.

_Her Father was a Devil Worshipper_.


	5. Internal Voices (13)

**Chapter 5**

**Internal Voices – 13**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 6, 1999**

**The Occasion: **

**After Damien (37) and Ravender's (13) Birthday Party.**

Okay.

Ravender rested her head back on the front door after she closed it behind her and locked it with her key hanging from her brass initial 'R' keyring. She was home. The dimmer lights were set on an automatic timer.

She thought she'd never get back here. It was so quiet she thought she was going to go mad because of the stillness. Did she dream it all? But yet, her father was in her head telling her to smile politely, but before that he asked if his Father was talking to her? Why would Robert Thorn be speaking to her from beyond the grave? _Maybe Damien was crazy after all?_

There was no staff present to bug her, so she was able to go up the stairs to her room. The messy domain with its heavy metal posters contrasting with the impressionist works on the walls. It almost looked like a traditional boys room and that was fine by her.

_Damn it_.

She forgot to bring her bag of feminine supplies with her so now she was going to have go into her parents bathroom to search her mother's private stash. This room along with her father's den downstairs was off-limits to her, not that she didn't go in there with and without their consent from time-to-time.

The master suite seemed rather cold to her, like a nameless luxury suite. It didn't seem like a space that a married couple shared. Melissa had a picture on her end table of them when they were in London when she was five years old. On Damien's end table was a lamp, a telephone, and two worn books stacked on top of each other a copy of Dante Alighieri's _Dante's Inferno_ and John Milton's _Paradise Lost_. No photographs of her with a missing front photographs of her at all.

She figured if she were here she might as well use their bathroom. Whenever her father was out of town on business (or shacking up with sluts like Katie B.) her mother would let her use this one instead of her own, which seemed rather plain in comparison. She didn't want to move from the spot.

_**COME ON, PRETTY BABY**_

No.

She wasn't going to give this voice any more attention than necessary. That was the bolt she needed to get a move on.

_No. No. No. _

"Fuck you," Ravender stated out loud, "Fuck you."

_**YOU SHALL **_

* * *

Damien was going to kill that kid.

His niceness could only go so far. He heard the shower in the master bathroom while Melissa was going through the contents of her writing desk to give her daughter a stack of blank thank you cards for the two large gift bags that were put in the breakfast area.

He wasn't doing anything forceful, so it struck him odd that his wife, instead of running upstairs to make sure her baby was okay, was checking her answering machine.

He ignored her and walked up the stairs.

* * *

Ravender physically felt better. She didn't know when her mother started wearing granny panties, but at least her bubble gum pink colored silk pajamas covered the embarrassing sight.

_There's your pink, Mother. _

Her heart went into her throat when without warning her Father opened the door and he didn't care if she was clothed or not.

"Just what do you think you are doing in here?" Damien demanded.

She was in no mood for being courteous. She continued to put her hair up and walk right past him out of the bathroom.

"Father, if you must know, I had to take care of female business and since I was here, I figured I'd use your and mother's shower…besides, um, where is she?"

"Downstairs. Is there something that you want to say _to me_?"

"_I know __**ALL **__of your secrets…"_

Damien wanted to laugh in her face; The face that housed his features in a feminine form.

"You do, do you?"

"She didn't say anything, but I know you are sleeping with Katie B, and god only knows who else, and you don't have to confirm it, either. _**I JUST know. **_But I also know one very important truth about you, Damien Thorn," She heard her mother coming down the hall, so she whispered it right to his face, "_**You ARE a Devil Worshipper**_."

"What are you doing in here, Sweetie?"

"Just talking to my Father."

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Mother, I'll be fine." Honestly. How many times did she have to fucking say it?

"Your presents are downstairs in the breakfast nook and the thank you cards are on your desk so make sure they are ready to be mailed within three business days."

She smiled and loved that Damien couldn't get a word in edgewise, "But, of course, goodnight Mother and Father."

She might be punished later and it would be worth the risk, Ravender turned her back on the both of them and walked right out of the room.

* * *

**1 Hour Later **

Ravender fell asleep to heavy metal thrash with her headphones on at her desk. She did not write one single thank you note.

It really came to no surprise when she awoke to the volume being turned up to the maximum causing her to snap awake. She thought her eardrums were going to burst.

"Hi, Father. I wonder what took you so long?"

She turned off her music.

"I want you downstairs in my den right now."

She noticed Damien had changed into the silk burgundy pajamas that were a gift from her mother along with the matching silk smoking jacket.

Damien would have done this immediately, but Melissa wanted to give him birthday sex and unfortunately he had to comply to ensure her trust in him. He was not satisfied and on top of that he had to deal with his unruly child.

* * *

**Damien's Den **

**5 Minutes Later**

Damien sat in his black leather chair and clicked the set of metallic balls that was an office gift from one of his from of his business associates ages ago.

The only thought he had at the moment was that if his daughter kept him waiting any longer he would take a belt to her and he didn't care how old she was.

He heard the door slowly open and then close. Who was she trying to kid carrying in a glass of milk for herself? She put the it on the green marble coaster from Ireland.

"There are so many things that I want to say to you, Ravender Thorn. One, _you will treat me with respect_. That's my last warning on the subject. Two, _Who I have or don't have sex with is NONE of your business_, so I don't really care what you know in that area. Three_, I'd like to know where you get the idea that I'm a Devil Worshipper and you better be specific."_

Ravender sighed as she was so tired, but she brought this on herself, "You know I hear voices…it just started today," She looked at the grandfather clock and it was past midnight, "I mean yesterday. Even when I got home it started again, but then I told them to 'fuck off' and I haven't been bothered since. When I thought I was going to die, I heard you say '_Hail Satan'_. Are you going to deny saying that, Father?"

Damien stood up and went for the simplest explanation and grabbed the red hardbound dictionary off the shelf and handed to her.

"Look up the word 'worship' because you are speaking in the colloquial sense and that is clouding your judgment and I don't particularly like it."

Ravender's eyes got big as she read Webster's definition.

"So you _revere_ Satan?"

He put his hands firmly on her shoulders and stated "Yes." with no emotion in his voice.

She wasn't ready for the rest of it and quite frankly he wasn't ready to reveal the whole truth to her just yet.

But unbeknownst to Damien and his daughter his Father had other plans.

"I take it my Mother does not know this."

"You take it correctly."

"What am I supposed to do with this information?"

"For a start stop making false assumptions."

She closed the book and reached for the glass of milk and thought about what to say next.

"Father, how come you don't love Jesus?"

"I cannot tell you that. You are just going to have to wait until I deem you are ready for more information. If you don't have anything else constructive to add, you can go to bed." He was expecting more of a fight from her and was a little surprised that he didn't give her one.

Damien could try to get his Blue Folder work done. But procrastinating in this area was something that brought him a small amount of pleasure.

"I'll go."

She finished her milk and she didn't need her Father to remind her to take the glass to the dishwasher.

"If you hear any more voices – let me know."

"I will," She didn't know whether to hug him 'goodnight' or to run away through her fear, "Goodnight."

A lump hung in her throat when he didn't say it in return.

She closed the door behind her. She had to be careful not to drop the empty glass that she was carrying. Why would her father align himself with Satan? One thing was for certain Ravender Thorn was going to find out.

* * *

**Breakfast Nook**

She let the silver ID bracelet dangle from her wrist. It was pretty, but at the same time it was pretty meaningless. This gift from her Father was picked out by Katie B. and even if it did come out of powder blue box with a white ribbon on it she still did not want it.

The sound of the dishwasher comforted her, but it was short lived as the voice returned.

_**WHO IS HE NOT TO TELL YOU?**_

_**I THINK YOU ARE READY**_

_**WHEN DAMIEN IS GONE, **_

_**READ YOUR BIBLE.**_

_**I'LL GUIDE YOU, PRETTY GIRL **_

_**YOU SHOULD GO TO BED NOW**_

_**I'LL BE THERE WHEN YOU DO**_

Ravender took the bracelet off and put it in the box. Why couldn't her father buy her a gift from the heart? Every occasion gift was her Mother's doing. He could never do anything for her.

Ignoring the voices again, before she went upstairs, she went to the bookshelf where her Mother kept her white leather bound Bible and took it upstairs with her. She noticed her father was still in his den as the light was still on. He said to let him know if she heard the voices again. She didn't want to disturb him and also she didn't want to run to him just because the voice returned. This was her battle.

She closed her room door and almost tripped over the pile of the clothes that she had on the floor. She sat at her desk and put the Bible down. She took out one of those thank you cards and with a black felt tip marker she crossed out the 'Thank You' and opened it up and wrote with a grape scented purple ink-pen.

_Daddy Dearest,_

_I would appreciate it greatly, if you would not have your mistress buy my birthday presents under your name. If you cannot do these tasks yourself, then don't do them at all. I cannot accept this bracelet; you can have Katie B. return it. _

_Thank you,_

_Ravender _

She would place it on his desk when he was gone. When she looked at her bed through the mirrors reflection, it looked like there was a body under the covers, undeterred she turned off the lights including the nightlight and the force seemed to have moved over, as if to invite her in. This was HER bed and she was going to sleep in it. She tried not to show any distress as she clutched at her pillows while this power cuddled her in a strong hold. She did not dismiss the fact that she might be on the verge of insanity. She closed her eyes, but was not successful in stopping the flow of tears. Her body started to shake as the voice tried to reassure her:

_**YOU'RE PRETTY **_

_**I'M NOT GOING TO HURT YOU**_

_**BEAUTIFUL GIRL**_

She could not stop shaking as she prayed for her death, once the invisible force loosened its grip and her body gave out from the complete exhaustion of body, mind, and spirit she put herself in the fetal position and that's how Damien found her when he went to check on his daughter at three in the morning.

_**Author's Note: This one will be the last chapter under 'T' – and the story will be put in the 'M' section starting with chapter 6. Thanks to all who have read, reviewed, and favorited. Thanks to JoanMilton for the writing advice. I hope the new format is easier to read for everyone and I'll work to get the other chapters fixed as well. **_


	6. Fire & Ice (13)

**Chapter 6**

**Fire &amp; Ice– 13**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 7, 1999**

**The Occasion: **

**The Morning After.**

Damien couldn't sleep.

He couldn't concentrate on the Blue Folder project.

The biggest misconception about Damien Thorn was that he did not have an ounce of feelings. Regardless of his origins, he still had feelings. He still had emotions. He just didn't air them out for the world to consume and use to their advantage. It was always the age of thirteen when things came to a head. What exactly was his daughter's role in his life?

Ravender was not just a typical, moody, and bratty teenager and while she was those things; There were also three instrumental things at play as Damien closed the Blue Folder and locked it in his top desk drawer. She was his biological child; she had only two 6's for her mark – why? Also it seemed that his Father was undermining him. Was it because she was a female? Because that was not how Damien learned about himself. Between Paul Buher being mysterious at Mark's thirteenth birthday party to Sgt. Neff telling him there was a part of the Bible that was _all about him. _His father didn't answer his pleas of 'Why Me?' when he ran to the pier that afternoon. He didn't even talk to him until much later. Yet as soon as Ravender turned thirteen and got her period and almost died, his Father was right there, scaring the shit out of her, which did NOT make Damien's job as the Antichrist and as the Father to the daughter of the Antichrist any easier.

He needed to check on her, which was something he rarely did. He closed the door to his den and walked up the stairs to his daughter's room.

The kid was in the fetal position, the blankets were on the floor with the rest of her mess. Her mind would be more in synch if she made a concerted effort to be more organized.

It was all connected.

_**DO YOU WANT A SHOW, SON? I'll GIVE YOU A SHOW **_

_**Father, Leave her alone. **__**For me.**_

_**THAT'S REALLY CUTE, CONSIDERING YOU HAVE SHOWN ZERO INTEREST IN THIS CHILD UP UNTIL NOW **_

Damien felt the room get about 30 degrees colder and he couldn't use his own talents to stop it.

He watched as his Father's force opened her windows and even though it was a nice June evening, it felt like a harsh January winter with the curtains swaying in and out. He could see but not interfere with the mattress sinking in.

_**I'M BACK SWEET GIRL, LET ME CUDDLE WITH YOU **_

Ravender's body was shivering from both the cold and the fear. She tried to sit up but this thing was too strong for her to break free from.

"L-leave m-me alone, p-please!" She didn't notice her Father standing in front of her while Satan tried to have their way with her.

Damien took a deep breath. Whatever punishment he was going to be dealt later on Damien would accept it. His Earthly age didn't matter. His father punished him as an adult a great deal, usually with lashings and severe open cuts. He was stubborn and accepted his fate whenever it was dished out.

Since he couldn't very well call on his Father's assistance, he closed his eyes and used his own strength. The wind whipping at his face, he held out his arms and spoke.

"Ravender, can you hear me?"

Damien decided to try it both ways.

_D- Ravender, can you hear me?_

"F-F-ather…."

But as quickly as she asked for Damien's assistance, the wind stopped, the windows closed, the temperature returned to normal and the presence went away like a tornado moving on to ravage whatever else was in its path. Satan's exit caused her to fall out of the bed and onto the floor.

She wrapped her arms around her father's legs and started to uncontrollably sob and plead.

"H—help m-m-e…. I – t—think….I'm g—going-cr—razy."

"Get up. You are NOT crazy. Crying is for the weak and you are smarter than that." Damien stated matter-of-factly, it was the only way she was ever going to learn.

Ravender opened up her eyes and tugged on Damien's legs and when she was on her knees she was able to slowly get up until she was standing alongside her father. She wanted to hug him and hold onto him tight, but he would only push her away. She wiped her eyes with her hands.

"I _**AM**_ up."

"Good. Do you have your gym track suit in your closet?" He seemed to ask out of the blue. Or maybe it was on the floor with the rest of her mess.

"Yeah…why?"

"Get changed. We're going for a run. I'll meet you downstairs after I get ready."

At least it was something. They were both wide awake and if her Father wanted to spend time with her in that way, she would have to jump at the chance. It may not happen ever again.

"Okay." She replied, but Damien was already gone back to his room.

* * *

**Living Room**

Ravender Thorn was a student at the Ridgely Academy. It was a non-religious boarding school. It housed the junior high unit which she just graduated from in May and the high school one which she would be starting in the last week of August. She mixed her time between living at home and staying in the dorm. The athletic colors were blue and gold and their symbol was an eagle.

She tried to stretch her legs. She didn't know what her father did in her room or maybe it was what he did NOT do, but she felt better. She felt safe for now.

Her Father could still strike a chord of fear in her throat when he came downstairs wearing a black running suit with the Thorn logo also in gold carrying her mother's Bible and the letter she had written to him requesting that Katie B. return her birthday bracelet.

These past few hours were a sea of emotions, so she figured the best thing to do was to let him speak first.

He handed her the Bible, "This goes back on the shelf. Did I not say earlier, you are just going to have to wait until I deem you are ready for more information?"

She didn't know how she was able to remember the exact words that were said, but they just spilled out of her mouth like a volcano spewing lava.

"Father, the voice said who are you not tell me? They think I am ready and when you leave for work today for me to read the Bible and that they would guide me."

"I cannot comment on that statement other than for you to listen to ME on that and regarding this note, you can talk to Katie B. yourself. I'm going to shred this." So Melissa wouldn't find Ravender's written words that her Father had a mistress, when that in itself, was not 100% accurate.

Was he giving her a free pass? She was not about to ask.

She was on the cusp of learning life-changing knowledge. Maybe her Father would reveal more to her during their run.

* * *

**Outside**

Kids today.

They stood on the back deck. Damien stretched and Ravender complained about having to run up _that big hill. _It wasn't the lighting; everything was well-lit in this gated community, so that was not a valid excuse that the sun had not risen yet. There were only four separate properties, versus the townhouses on the other side of town that were connected apartments.

"You're just lazy." Damien reminded.

"I take gym class." She really didn't have the urge to run anymore, but she was not going to tell him that.

"Only because you have to."

Damien could have boasted that the reason for the Thorn track suit because when she was a baby, he and Melissa participated in mixed doubles against Gregory Holden of Holden Plastics Corporation and his trophy wife for a downtown Chicago corporate tennis event, was on the rowing team in University, when he was an ambassador he did his fair share of equestrian events, of course, the Thorn staples were winter sports like skiing and hockey.

She had half (well, theoretically more than half) of his DNA and she couldn't even run up a little hill, claiming of being tired before she even got off the porch.

"I'll admit that."

"Look at it this way, there is a bench up there, think of it as your flag on top of the summit. But I am _**not **_giving you a head start. On the count of three…"

* * *

Damien couldn't believe it.

He didn't even have to do anything of a forceful nature, just by using his own physical stamina his thirteen-year-old daughter was still one minute behind him. She was cluttered and bogged down. That was not good. He wasn't even out of breath while he sat on the bench and waited for his daughter to join him at the top.

The view was like a postcard that tourists grab from overpriced gift shops. In the distance you could see the Thorn skyscraper, with the gold 'T' on top of the revolving blue Earth sphere on the roof, that served as a nice decorative touch as well as a radio tower. The Sears Tower, John Hancock Center, and the Franklin Center North Tower seemed to pale in comparison.

_As the advertising said: Thorn: Global Solutions. _

"This sucks…" She whined.

Ravender finally reached her Father, out of breath, and hunched over holding her knees.

"I don't know what kind of physical education program you have at that school, but it really is subpar."

She made her way to the bench and at that moment she could have used a drink of water. While her Father focused on the taller buildings in the background, she was more fixated on that hill, that led to the walking trail that went to the recreational center with the inside pool and outside tennis courts. She could see that the moths gathered around the lighting fixtures.

"I don't think you took me up here just to talk about the programs at my school."

She was tired, but couldn't deal with the voice again – the voice that could somehow touch her.

"You aren't crazy," Damien began, "You have got to learn to relax. Life will go more smoothly for you if you do. So if the voice comes back," and Damien didn't doubt that his Father would, because why make life easier for him, when he already had a million things stacked on his plate, "Just relax. Trust me."

"I have a question."

"Go on."

"Why do you admire Satan? Why?"

"Because it's my calling, my destiny."

He couldn't tell her any more than that. She was not well-equipped enough to handle it.

"Without sounding like I'm two-years-old, why though? Did you wake up one day and just decide?"

"It was decided for me before I was even born and I didn't realize that part about me until I was about your age."

"Do you drink blood?" She had to know.

"And do I also kill goats for said blood? **_Stop making assumptions about me.  _**You want to listen to music that uses faux-Satanic themes and imagery to get Jesus Freaks and concerned bored rich housewives all riled up, that's fine. Do _**NOT **_assume that is what I do."

She sighed heavily, "So what is it that you do, Father?"

"The only thing you need to know at this time is that I am the CEO of Thorn Industries and that is true. I am being groomed to be President of the United States and whether that meshes in with your plans, Ravender, I really don't care. You have your own personal destiny, but it starts with taking a hell of a lot more responsibility, which is why you are getting this condensed version. _**PROVE**_ to me you can handle the whole truth and I will provide it to you. Until then, you can go back home if you would like. I'll tell your Mother, to let you sleep in. I'm going to stay up here for a while."

"You don't love my Mother do you?"

"R…."

"You don't have to answer that, Father. I'll go. I'll talk to you later?" She made it a question.

"Of course."

Ravender swallowed. Why did her Father have to be such hard ass all the time? Why couldn't he just hug her and love her like the Father's on old black and white television shows? Is this what Satanism did to a person?

"And you can also write whatever you like about me in that little diary of yours that you keep locked up."

She turned around on her heels.

"How do you know about that, Father?"

"I know everything about you."

That wasn't fair she thought. Not when she did not know everything about him. Damien's daughter ran faster going down than she went up the hill. One way or another she was going to get the answers that she needed.

Turnaround was going to be fair play.


	7. Researching Damien Thorn (13)

**Chapter 7**

**Researching Damien Thorn – 13**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 7, 1999**

**The Occasion: **

**A price paid for public snooping.**

It was eleven-thirty in the morning, a half hour before noon, when Ravender Thorn opened up her eyes. She finally was able to have a decent sleep. She could have sworn at six after six in the morning that she heard the voice whisper that she was a '_sweet girl'_ and _that feeling_ held her as if another body was with her in bed. The only thing she did was keep her eyes firmly closed and focused on resuming sleep. Damien's advice to her to relax seemed to have worked, at least for the moment. She blinked her eyes and turned her body over to avoid the sunshine coming through the windows. She held her pillows to her chest. She'd have turned on a TV if her parents allowed her to have one in her room. She stretched in her bed, trying to be quiet as possible. She knew her Father was at Thorn, but she didn't know if her Mother was still home or not. She needed to brush her teeth and take a shower in peace. She was going to go downtown today. Operation: Researching Damien Thorn was about to begin and she was ready to start before she even left the house.

* * *

Dressed in her usual non-school uniform of a purple t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers she made her way to the kitchen to find her Mother cutting yellow bell peppers into thin strips on the wooden cutting board at the kitchen island.

"Good mor—no, good afternoon! Look who finally decided to get up and face the day."

"Morning, Mother." She mumbled into the refrigerator door, she weighed the options of drinking the orange juice straight out of the carton or to pour a glass. She opted for the glass because she didn't want to hear her Mother's complaining on the subject, not when she had a mission to do today.

"I'm making a salad. Do you want me to make you a plate?"

"No. Just toast is fine and I can do that by myself."

"Your Father said you needed to sleep in today. Do you feel any better?"

"Yes. Mother. I need to ask you a question." She pressed the lever on the toaster.

"Of course, Sweetie."

"How did you and Father meet? I really want to know."

From her Mother's softened reflection that she saw in the stainless steel toaster, Ravender decided to turn around and listen to her mother tell this tale. Because only one of them fell in love and she wanted to know why.

**Flashback**

**London, England**

**March 1982**

The former President's daughter was so nervous that she absentmindedly put five pink sugar substitute packets in her tea instead of just one.

She was meeting her girlfriend for lunch at The Square on 6-10 Bruton Street, a restaurant that catered to those with money. She quickly looked down at her thin gold Chanel link watch – It was twelve.

Melissa was so excited to see her friend, Katherine Buher. They haven't seen each other in years and then out of the blue she received a call at Carlyle's House Museum named for philosopher Thomas Carlyle and his wife Jane Welsh Carlyle where she worked part time in the office. Katherine hinted that there was someone that she wanted her to meet. Melissa didn't know if her agreeing to have lunch was to actually see her old friend or to find who she wanted to set her up with. It's not that she currently had a love interest.

"Missy."

She was so deep in thought that she didn't see her friend standing in front of her.

"Katherine?" She stood up and gave her friend a welcoming embrace, "I haven't seen you in forever! You look stunning." Melissa thought she looked rather plain in a blue dress with matching navy flats.

She should for the amount of money she laid out in Chanel, Hermes, and Dior on their ready-to-wear racks and not to mention the cosmetics counter at Harrods.

"Thank you," She was wearing a white silk blouse with a scalloped neckline, black A-line skirt, and patent black pumps. "You don't look so bad yourself. How are you?"

Before Melissa could answer, Katherine flagged down the waiter to get a glass of white wine while she pondered over the menu selections.

"Working at the Carlyle part-time and then I fly back home twice a week to help with my Father's presidential library," Melissa drank her tea, "But, I'd rather know who is this gentleman that you want to set me up with?"

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but think of you, you actually know him, if you think back far enough…Damien Thorn."

"Damien Thorn?" Then Katherine watched Melissa's light bulb switch on, "That adorable little boy who lived with us for a while? Robert Thorn's son."

She remembered his father, the former Ambassador, went psychotic and tried to stab the little boy in a church until the police caught him and shot him dead before he could do actual harm to the child.

"He's grown up to be quite handsome."

"How do _you_ know him?"

"I work at Thorn Industries with my Uncle Paul who is CEO. _Damien is just dying to meet you_."

Melissa blushed, "I don't know. I don't have good luck with men."

The waiter came by and put the glass of wine on a coaster.

"It's been my experience when you fall off a horse you get back on. It's Damien's last year in University."

"Where does he go to school?"

"Cambridge. He and a bunch of friends are coming to London tonight for a dinner party. A couples only party."

"I'm supposed to meet Damien whom I haven't seen since he was five-years-old as a blind date for a couples only party?"

"Where's your sense of adventure, Missy? It'll be fun."

"Why couldn't Damien ask someone he already knows?"

"He got to thinking of you and wondered what became of you."

"Really? He actually remembered me? I have no time to get my hair done – and what am I supposed to wear? What kind of…."

Katherine laughed, "Relax, Missy. I'll help you. I guarantee that you'll have the time of your life."

**End Flashback**

Ravender was starting to feel an anger rushing to her surface and did her best to conceal it.

"Katie B," What the Hell, "_Katie B. set you up with Father_?"

Melissa cut pieces of cooked bacon for the top of her salad. "Yes, so you can say that all led to you. Do you want to hear more? Do you want to hear how your Father surprised me before we even met?"

Ravender grew intrigued. She ate a bite of toast, but really didn't want it.

"Yes, please tell me the rest."

**Resume Flashback**

Melissa was unsure. She had absolutely no time to get her hair and make-up done, plus find a suitable outfit for the occasion. She wasn't hungry for her chef salad. Katherine, who revealed, that she preferred to go by Katie B., was in the restroom for what seemed like an eternity. The waiter came by with a telephone that was on a small-wheeled cart.

"Excuse me; there is a phone call for you."

Who could be calling her? Her heart was beating a million miles a minute over the possibilities. It just couldn't have been.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Melissa. It's me, Damien. I hope you don't mind me phoning you."

"No, not at all." She felt like she was back in high school with sweaty palms and nervously twisting the cord with her fingers.

"Is Katie B. sitting with you?"

"She excused herself ten minutes ago to use the ladies room and she hasn't returned yet, but she left her coat behind. I think she wants to give us privacy while we talk. How are you, Damien?"

"Good. Listen, I really don't want to attend this party tonight. Would you still like to join me for a private dinner?"

His voice oozed charm and she couldn't wait to see what he looked like as a grown man.

"Of course…."

**End Flashback**

Ravender waved her arms and she tried to stop herself from crying after all her Father said that was a sign of weakness. "I don't want to hear anymore."

"Oh, Sweetie. Why are you crying?"

Melissa went to hug her, but her daughter backed away. She couldn't bear to hear the rest. Katie B. and her father both played her mother for a complete fool. Why though? It's not like Damien didn't come from his own line of wealth. He was a Thorn for fuck's sake. If he didn't love Melissa why did he even want to marry her in the first place? It made absolutely no sense at all to her.

"I just hope I can find someone special."

That wasn't a complete lie, but she knew she couldn't exactly tell her mother the truth. It was at that moment she let her Mother hug her, just a little, so she could smell her sporty perfume.

"You will, Honey, in time. You are far too young to be thinking about having a serious boyfriend."

"Do you love Father?" Ravender asked while in her Mother's warm embrace.

"Of course I do, very much. I know he may not show it all the time, that's just the way he is, but I don't need him to verbalize it when I already know that he feels the same way about me as I do him. He's just very driven and ambitious."

_Not even close, Mother, not even close._

_Oh, damn. _

Ravender pulled away. "I'm going downtown."

"You hardly ate your toast."

"I'm not hungry anymore. I'll be home for dinner, if that's okay?"

"Of course. Do you want some money to buy lunch?"

"No. I have my bank card."

"Okay, Sweetie. I'll see you later, be safe."

She needed to get out of the house, feel the air on her face, and find out more about her Father. The next stop would be a public library.

* * *

**Thorn Industries**

It's not like he didn't have anything else of importance to do.

Damien just signed off on the Thorn Restructuring Initiative that would lay off about 5,000 global workers and he had to deal with this family bullshit. Katie B. erased all thoughts of having sex with Damien on his desk during business hours and making all of the women in the office jealous when they had their gossip sessions in the break room when she saw the pissed off look on his face that matched his tone when he ordered her into his office.

"What is it, Damien? You seem angry." She hoped it wasn't anything that she had done.

"Katie B., I have a task for you."

She briefly smiled. She was the one responsible for working closely with Damien on the Thorn Restructuring Initiative that all that was left for him to do was sign his name to the document to make it official. What was next? Finding more ways to control valuable resources such as water? Pollute even more areas in poor sections of the world that they didn't personally reside in so they could live the lives they deserved? Get stock majority of a floundering company to put it under the Thorn umbrella to bask in the glow of Satan's riches? She would do whatever he asked of her.

"Yes, Damien?"

"Find out what my daughter is doing."

He just got word from one of the assistants who was also one of his followers at the Conrad Sulzer Regional Library that Ravender was searching any public record of his that she could find from printed sources. It's not that she would have found anything useful in those public documents, but it was the intent and search that bothered him immensely.

Damien thought Ravender should be very lucky to have Satan, _his Father_, on her side; because he was this close to literally extinguishing her short life if it weren't for the fact his Father might strike him dead for even trying to do so.

Katie B. could NOT believe it. It was starting and Melissa wasn't even dead yet. She was going to have to wind up babysitting that ingrate of a kid. She was an executive, _**not**_ a nanny. She was in Damien's inner circle. She went around to Damien's desk, but his body language told her she better not attempt to sit on his lap or do anything of a seductive nature to get him to change his mind.

"Damien…"

She put her hands on her hips trying to find the right words to say, because she didn't want to be seen as whining.

"Katherine Buher, am I stuttering? When I ask you to do something you better damn well do it. You are getting way too comfortable in your role thinking anything that I request of you is up for debate."

He unconsciously broke the wooden ruler that he was holding in half. It made her jump which embarrassed her.

"I'm sorry." She began, knowing full well that Damien hated that word.

"Just bring Ravender to me and next time I better not have to ask you to do something twice."

"Yes, Damien."

She knew better than to talk any more, she could only walk out the door and hoped that It would be all right between them.

Damn that kid.

* * *

**30 Minutes Later**

_**Chicago Sun-Tribune**__** Headline**_

_**Circa 1979***_

_**FOUR DEAD IN THORN MUSEUM TRAGEDY**_

_**Hours after Cousins Damien and Mark Thorn graduated from Davidson Military Academy; Page 3**_

A hand went on Ravender's shoulder while she was reading and she almost fell out of the stiff wooden chair. She turned around to see that it was Katie B., whom she did NOT want to see today for fear of what might come out of her mouth.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"Your Father wants to see you."

"You left your busy job because _my _Father wants to see me? That is so beyond stupid."

Katie B. really wished that she could pick her up and throw her out of the third floor window, which wasn't high enough in her opinion. She might have taken her orders from Damien, but even he realized that Satan's orders came first. But nada, he wanted this annoyance to live. The reasons were beyond her.

"Call it what you will, but your Father asked me to get you. _Do **you **want to accuse him of lying?"_

Damn. She had a point.

"All right, I'll go. But not because you think you can tell me what to do, Katie B."

Ravender put the newspapers face down before she left.

"You know, I really don't like you." Katie B. admitted.

"Good. Because I can't fucking stand you." Ravender replied in a way almost daring this wench to tell Damien.

It felt good to clear the air.

* * *

**30 Minutes Later**

Ravender paced in Damien's office. He wanted to see her. He interrupted her afternoon just so he could see her and he wasn't even present. Once Katie B. made sure Ravender was settled in his executive suite she was also thankfully gone. Were they having a quickie in the copier room? She was hungry and in no mood to have an argument with her Father. What could he have possibly wanted? When she heard the door close and lock behind her she thought for a brief moment he was actually going to kill her. She turned around to face him.

"Sit down."

"I'd rather stand."

She was as stubborn as an ox.

"Fine," Damien put the folders he was carrying on his desk and sat on his chair. "What do you think you were doing today?"

Let it begin.

"I'm not allowed to go out on my own?"

"You know what I fucking mean. Why were you looking for information about ME?"

"It was public information that I can access, just like the Bible. I really don't need your permission to do either of those things, Father."

"It's your intent that it is bothersome. You want to ask me questions. Ask me questions. You think you know so much about the Bible – you know nothing. You just want to be insolent and for that you are going to be grounded." Which seemed a rather pedestrian thing to do when he'd rather just punish her by strangling her to an inch of her death and then letting go to see if she would be grateful for another breath.

She put her hands on her hips having to one-up him.

"How is that going to work since Mother doesn't know your secrets? What am being I grounded for? How are _**YOU**_ going to explain it?"

"Your disrespectful attitude."

"I hate you."

"And that's supposed to affect me? You're going home and I'm going to take you there myself."

He got up to stand face-to-face with his belligerent offspring.

"I didn't eat any lunch yet and I would have if you didn't send your slut to the library…"

He slapped her across the face hard, she blinked, but Ravender Thorn refused to cry.

"Give me your bank card. You can eat at home when you get there and I don't want any more attitude from you or I will give you something to really hate me for."

Did she forget what he told her twenty-four hours ago about respect?

She didn't know why but her mind flashed to their father-daughter dance yesterday at their birthday party. It seemed like that was 100 years ago. That was the way she wished he would act: gentlemanly.

There was something about…

"Fine," She took the card out of her back jeans pocket and handed it to him. "Maybe researching you isn't worth the time or the trouble. I'm not the only teenager with an annoying parent."

_D - But you are the only teenager being raised by __ME__. _

"Wait by the elevators. I'm going to tell my secretary to change my schedule around." He got ready to open the door.

She just couldn't help but attempt to have the last words, "By the way you should know, I did start out by asking Mother all sorts of questions, _nothing about your precious Satan_. Since I'll be grounded, maybe I should just ask her to tell me even more. She did tell me how the two of you met. I didn't have the heart to tell her you and Katie B. played her for a moron."

"Just wait by the elevators."

That was it.

The Fourth of July was coming up in less than a month and this year they were supposed to go to Kevin McAllister's summer home on Martha's Vineyard for their Independence Day party. His only child, Sarah, was Ravender's roommate and friend. Kevin was a business associate and disciple. Quickly weighing the options in his head at the end of the day what did one month really matter?

Damien noticed his daughter sitting on the wooden bench next to the elevators in full-on sulk mode. She wouldn't attempt disobeying him now. He finished talking to his secretary and went to Katie B.'s office, opening the door without knocking. She was typing something on her word processor and she looked surprised to see him standing there.

"Yes, Damien?" She waited for him to close the door.

"Start thinking of ideas…_and you will run them all by me before you act_…it is time."

She smiled brightly. "I already have an idea." A Buher never left anything to chance. "But I need to visit your wife tomorrow…."

"You can tell me everything when I return."

Yes one month would not have made much of a difference at all. Ravender was starting to get too close to Melissa in order to get to him. His wife could never be a part of his plans to be President.

Katie B. got up from her seat and put her arms around Damien and gave him a kiss on the lips. He didn't seem to mind.

"It _is_ the perfect plan."

"I'll be the judge of that. See you in an hour in my office."

"Of course, Damien_, anything for you_."

_**Author's Notes: **_

_***I'm planning to end my **__**Why Me?: A Damien Omen II_ Story_**__** in 1979 but I don't have the date in mind so please pardon the use of the word circa, I will fix it to add the proper date, but it would be after Damien's high school graduation before he starts University. **_

_**I never bought the explanation that the WHOLE building was destroyed, unless Damien pulled a Carrie White, which is possible – but I still don't think the whole museum should have been leveled. Even though 20**__**th**__** Century Fox totally retconned the years again by the time of the ****The Final Conflict****,**__** which is another reason why I didn't like the destruction of the museum in that context. **_

_**You may also wonder why Melissa's surname has not been revealed. I instantly thought of the name Jennings, but as fans of **__**The Omen**__** know that is the name of the photographer who joins forces with Robert Thorn. I figured I'd rather leave her last name a mystery rather than for others to think that the characters were connected. **_


	8. Best Laid Plans (13)

**Chapter 8**

**Best Laid Plans – 13**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 8, 1999**

**The Occasion: **

**The plan set in motion is about to change the young girl's life for the worse. **

Someone was upstairs who shouldn't have been.

She didn't mean to play sides, but Ravender was quite pleased with her mother loosening Damien's rules for her punishment when he wasn't home. She was grounded for one month but allowed to sleep in without having to keep busy during the summer break. It was almost noon, when she opened her eyes. The birds were chirping and a light breeze came in from the open windows. She could feel someone upstairs in the master bedroom and it wasn't her Mother or her Father. She could tell by the creeping footsteps that this was someone else. Forgoing the need to use her bathroom, she quietly got out of her bed and went to investigate.

Was it the interior decorator? Melissa wanted to redo their room into something more modern but Damien talked her out of it a month ago while they had a rare family dinner together. He just said that it wasn't a wise choice and Melissa didn't challenge him on it. Ravender took a deep breath making sure to stay a few steps behind whoever was in her parent's room. Someone was in her Mother's walk-in closet. There were two on opposite sides, the one on the left was her Father's and the one on the right was Melissa's. She got down on her knees as she didn't want to be discovered and she peaked in. She was about to breathe a sigh of quick relief seeing that it was Katie B., and then she thought – _**no.**_

Why was she here in her Mother's closet? Was her Mother even home?

She watched her Father's main mistress scan the black and gold boxes of Chanel, the light blue boxes of Tiffany, and the bright orange from Hermes. Melissa had used her label maker to mark the boxes contents from the outside. Katie B., went for the red label with the white type on one of the Hermes box tops that said KELLY (SELLIER) Light Blue 35cm. She grabbed the box with surefire hands and placed it on the island with the light purple marble top next to the sitting bench and opened it.

Katie B., had many designer clothes and accessories of her own. Why would she need one of her Mother's purses? It happened all so fast for the younger girl to react when Katie B., took a switchblade out of her sky blue color quilted Chanel bag and slashed the bottom of Melissa's purse like she was a surgeon making a careful and deliberate incision.

Ravender needed to get out of view; she didn't need Katie B. to report to Damien that she was spying on her. Why would she have destroyed her Mother's (expensive) purse? That didn't make any sense. Once she was out of view she quietly made it safely back to her own room and closed the door.

There had to have been a reason for Katie B., to have done what she did. Could her Father have told her to do such a thing? It really didn't make any sense at all. There was something else going on between Damien and Katie B. besides them having sex and it was somehow going to affect her and her Mother.

Deep down in her soul where her disturbed thoughts festered, she knew something was going to happen. The why of it all was becoming the most important word in her mind. Why was all of this happening and for what purpose?

Maybe Katie B. was hoping to be Mrs. Thorn #2? The thought made Ravender feel sick to her stomach. Would she eventually have to call the slut 'Mother'? No way.

She grabbed her clothes off the floor and headed for her bathroom, she hoped that the answers would eventually come to her.

* * *

**30 Minutes Later**

It was tempting to put her pajamas back on after her shower but as she sat at her vanity table, she could barely stand the sound of the laughter coming from her parent's room. She put her hair in a quick ponytail and wore a plain black t-shirt and jeans. She had to examine more to see what was going on.

* * *

**Melissa's Closet **

Melissa was pouring three cranberry spritzers in crystal champagne flutes. She advised her friend as she looked in the full length mirror's reflection to see Katie B., in her light blue suit jacket.

Damien came home early from work and was in his closet searching for something to wear for the same interview. Melissa knew that he was just checking up on Katie B.

He ran a tight ship at Thorn and that was why the company was always profitable and even when stocks were floundering for other companies, shares for Thorn were always on the upswing.

"I think if you are going on TV for an interview you should wear the blue jacket. It shows up better on the camera. While I know it won't be seen on TV, I have the perfect accessory for you." Melissa handed her a champagne flute.

"You really don't have to go through all this trouble, Missy. I just came by to borrow a scarf."

"Nonsense," Melissa pressed the intercom button #DC2 (Damien Closet Two), "Damien, are you ready?"

"Yes." Was all that he needed to reply with.

Katie B. laughed on the inside. Some people were really too trusting and too stupid. She took a drink from the crystal flute and hid her urge to gag. How very typical that Melissa would make a weak cocktail.

* * *

Shit.

Her heart started to beat rapidly. Ravender didn't know if she should run and hide back to her room or stay spying. Her Father was home? She didn't doubt the interview, but it seemed to be a ruse for something else.

_D – Ravender Thorn, are you spying? _

Damn.

She could hear her Father in her head. The ability to do so would come and go. Not now. She just pretended not to hear him. She wanted to know what Katie B. was up to and at that moment ignoring her Father was what she had to do. He would be pissed, but she would deal with him later.

* * *

Melissa grabbed one of her favorite Hermes boxes from the shelf. It was a gift from her Father when she graduated from Vassar. "This is one of my favorite purses."

She opened the box as Damien stood in the doorway wearing a black suit with an emerald green tie that Melissa had picked out. He took one polite sip of her horrible cranberry drink.

When Melissa's back was turned Katie B. smiled at Damien as they both knew what was about to happen in 5-4-3-2-1.

"OH NO! What happened to my Kelly?" Her voice ripe with disappointment.

Damien took the lead, "What is it, Honey?"

_R – Get real__**. **_

Melissa put her hand inside her purse and through the bottom. "How did this happen? It's ruined." She let the purse fall on its original orange dustcover with its equestrian motif.

Katie B. finished the rotten cranberry spritzer made by the bore of a wife, "When was the last time you used this bag?"

"Last year when I chaperoned Ravender's class trip at the Chicago Museum of Art."

_R – Father, If she blames me._

_D – I knew you could hear me. Nice try. _

Damien put the glass down on the coaster and kissed his wife on the cheek while he put his hands on her shoulders. "If you will excuse me ladies, there is something that I need to tend to."

* * *

Ravender knew she had to high tail it back to her room, _but she wanted to prove to her Father that she wasn't afraid of him_, so she walked as far as the outside of her parent's bedrooms entry way before the safe corridor that lead to her room.

Damien closed the door. "You defiant little 'witch'."

She boldly whispered, "Look who is talking in colloquial terms now. I saw her, Father. I saw Katie B., destroy Mother's purse on purpose."

Damien tried to keep his cool together. He knew that he should've killed Melissa off when the brat in front of him was two-years-old and then she would have been raised by him the correct way. "I want you to go in your room and stay there. I don't have time for your bullshit today."

"But I didn't eat anything yet."

"If you got up when you were supposed to instead of trying to play on your Mother's sympathies then you'd have had breakfast. So guess what? I think you can skip lunch. You can do something constructive in the meantime like clean your pigs sty of a room."

"I still hate you."

"I still don't care what you think of me. Now if you think of telling your mother what you saw, you will cross a line that I think even you don't want to cross."

Was he threatening her?

She figured she better fold her cards for now. She had nothing beneficial to use. "Can I go to my room now?"

"That's 'May I' and yes get of my sight." He watched his daughter to make sure she went into her bedroom before going back to rejoin Melissa and Katie B.

* * *

**Ravender's Room**

Ravender had the brief urge of wanting to turn her stereo up with the loudest, crashiest thrash metal ever created, but she didn't want to push it.

There was a saying of pushing someone's buttons and she realized she came dangerously close to pushing Damien to his limit.

She threw herself on her bed and put the covers over her head. Fuck her father and his demands. Like the voice told her, who was he to tell her what to do?

She ignored her shaking body and fell asleep.

* * *

**Melissa's Closet **

When Damien returned Melissa was all smiles.

"Darling, I want you to know that Katie is a genius and you really should give her a big fat bonus." She put her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Why is she a genius?"

"She reminded me Hermes will repair my purse. I was going to inquire about that locally, but she thought of something MUCH better."

"You can tell him, Missy."

"Do the two of you realize that we're on a time constraint?" And the taller one with the long wavy brown hair ought to have known better than to drag this out. He put his hands in his trouser pockets.

"It's no big deal. I just thought we should go to the Paris flagship store."

"And that led to wanting to go to the spas, museums, and lunches - But the BIG boss has to BE OKAY with her taking a week off." Melissa winked at Damien.

"How can I say no to two pretty ladies?" He softened his stance so Melissa would melt.

Even though she was fully aware of Damien's true identity, Katie B., still thought he was a master in the art of manipulation. Damien Thorn was certainly a charmer. Once he threw his hat in the Presidential ring he would win by a landslide and that was without considering any eventual supernatural occurrences to ensure victory.

Melissa beamed, "That's settled. You two better get going. I'll make the plans. I'll call you after dinner, Katie?"

"Sure."

Katie B. watched intently as Damien went through the motions of saying his goodbyes to his wife. Soon that burden would no longer be on his shoulders. If only the annoying teenager could also be on the to-die-list then her life would be perfect.

The timing for this interaction worked out as there really was an interview on WLS Channel 7 Chicago to talk about Thorn's global expansion and what their plans would be for the economy in the upcoming 21st Century.

"I'm sorry that you couldn't use my purse," Melissa draped a silk pink wrap like a tailor following a primadonna out the door, over Katie B.'s suit jacket, "Here's my lucky dragonfly pin." She was able to fasten it like a good friend.

"Thanks." Katie B. said grabbing her purse and her soft tan attaché case as Damien chose not to wait them and was almost at the bottom of the stairwell.

"I'll call you later. I'll record you two on TV. Good luck."

Katie B. nodded and did a quick wave goodbye. She didn't need it.

* * *

By the time Rick, the chauffeur, escorted her to her spot in the limousine Damien already had a drink in his hand with the tray table extended in front of him. Katie B. was about to undo the dragonfly pin to take off the wrap, but Damien stopped her.

That's why he was wearing Melissa's choice of necktie, the emerald green, when he wanted to wear the navy blue with the regimental red and white stripes.

"Think about it. Do you want to explain it to Melissa why you aren't wearing her scarf and pin on TV?"

"You're right. Are you going to pour me a drink?"

"You can have a drink after." Melissa's feeble attempt didn't count. The alcohol wouldn't affect him, but he wasn't going to take any chances with her. After all they did have to do real Thorn business today and that would take priority over her needing to take the edge off.

"Fair enough." She put down her tray table to get one of her manila folders out of her attache case, "Damien, I do have a question though."

"What is it?"

"Your wife has lifetime protection..." She started to say.

"I have that under control."

"Good."

Rick smiled from the driver's seat.

Damien finished his whiskey and cola and did a swirling motion with his wrist so that the ice cubes would rattle against the glass, "The sooner, the better."

That's all that Katie B. needed to hear. It was going to be a great summer.

Damien needed Melissa gone for a myriad of reasons, one of which was that he needed to get a get a better grip on his daughter without her interference. It was bad enough when his Father did. He could not and would not stop him, but he sure _as hell_ could stop her.

* * *

_**The Last Thorn Family Dinner**_

Ravender opened up eyes. The scent of dinner wafting its way upstairs is what finally woke her from her slumber. Damn. It was six-thirty. She must have been exhausted for her body to have let her sleep this long. There were no voices in her head and no nightmares. She wondered why her Mother let her sleep all day? Was her Father home yet? She had no desire to deal with him at all. Yet she was starving since she didn't have breakfast and was forced to skip lunch because her Father was being a jerk about things.

The sun was still shining to give the illusion that it was still afternoon. Why did Katie B. destroy her mother's purse? What was going on? She didn't have time to catch her breath when her door forcefully opened.

"Great. Daddy's home." Ravender figured she might as well say it out loud. She hoped that airing how she felt was not being quote unquote 'disrespectful'.

"Were you asleep _**all this time**_?" Damien questioned as he took his suit jacket off. Things were going to change around here. Her 'free ride' was going to come to a screeching halt.

"Yes. I was exhausted. Is that a crime?" She stretched her legs in the bed.

"No, but your laziness should be. Dinner is almost ready so wash up." He wasn't going to argue with the minor of the house.

Ravender was surprised that he didn't give her any grief for not cleaning up her room like he had asked her to do. That didn't seem like Damien Thorn. He had to have had something on his mind. Maybe the interview went bad? Or maybe he and Katie B. had a tryst in the greenroom and he wanted to make sure her Mother couldn't tell.

She sighed and figured why bother analyzing things? She was hungry and dinner was downstairs. Why waste time trying to figure out her Father?

* * *

**20 Minutes Later  
**

What the fuck?

_R- My eyes. _

Ravender Thorn stood in the entry way to the kitchen. It wasn't them eating in here instead of the dining room that had her rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't sleepwalking. Her father had changed into a yellow polo shirt and dark blue jeans and with her mother in her light summer white floral dress they both looked like they were ripped out of the pages of a J. Crew catalog.

They were in an actual embrace. He swirled her around and she laughed. This. What was this? She thought she would puke when her Mother fed him a carrot slice from the vegetable tray. None of this could be real. She never saw a real affectionate exchange between her parents. Not once. If this was kept up she wouldn't have the urge to eat anymore.

"Oh, Sweetie. We didn't see you there." Melissa rested her hands on Damien's broad shoulders.

_R- Apparently. Father, what was that all about?_

"How come we can't eat outside on the patio?" Ravender requested.

"Because it's too windy. Damien, why don't you tell our daughter _YOUR SPECIAL_ announcement?"

"Go ahead, Missy." and he almost always never called her by her nickname.

_R – I'm not stupid, this is all fake. _

Ravender needed to sit down. So they were going to be the happy family having a happy dinner together? Her Mother's face was a mix of excitement and pride, her Father looked serious like he always did, with just a hint of a smile, which was all the proof that the young girl needed that whatever his special announcement was, it was as phony as her parents love for one another. Only one of them had the belief that they were in a loving marriage and it wasn't the male sitting at the table who took the blue cloth napkin out of the silver 'T' napkin ring and placed it on his lap.

"Your father announced his plans to run for PRESIDENT!"

_R – If you say The United States of America. _

"Great." She replied deadpan.

_D- Take a look in the mirror at your own insincerity. And stop slouching in your chair. _

"You think you'd be happier for your father?" Melissa made it a question.

While it pleased Damien to see his daughter squirm and he was curious on what her know-it-all reply would have been, he had no time.

"What did you make, Melissa? It smells good." Her cooking was okay. Not as good as the culinary educated staff at Thorn Manor but a notch better than military school/university food. It was only desserts and alcoholic beverages that his wife could not properly tackle.

"Beef Wellington style stew. My mother got the recipe from Chef Andre before we left 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It was one of my Dad's favorites on casual dinner days. And that was before your news, Damien. My mother always said I was intuitive."

Ravender just had to say something, she couldn't help it. She had to one up him. She just had to. Just because he wanted to run for President didn't mean he was going to be successful in his goal.

"I don't mean to be cynical, Father. If your news is all that Earth shattering how come the phones aren't ringing?"

Melissa poured the oil and vinegar dressing on the salad greens in her favorite Wedgewood bowl. "Oh that was me. I turned them off earlier, the light is blinking."

"And I keep the ringer of my den phone off." Damien added. He wanted to finish the sentence with 'smart mouth'. He'd be deleting more than half of those messages tonight. He only needed to call a select few.

"I'd rather order pizza." Ravender didn't want eat with her parents. This happened all too fast for her liking.

"No./No, Sweetie."

_R- How cute._

Damien was going to get the last word with that kid tonight. "Your mother has an important phone call to make tonight, so you can wash all of the dishes by hand."

Ravender looked at her Mother all calm and cool and was mildly disappointed that she didn't add – 'but Damien she can use the dishwasher.'

"When everything is done we can all watch your interview together, Honey."

"Of course."

_R- I'd rather die. _

At the risk of offending _HIS_ Father, he couldn't help it. He just had to constantly remind her who was in charge and it certainly wasn't her.

_D – I can arrange it. So knock it off. _

While her parents talked about absolutely nothing of interest to her, the newly crowned adolescent ate her dinner in silence.

* * *

**After Dinner**

Damien gave Melissa the use his den to call Katie B., while he went upstairs.

Ravender Thorn was left with what looked like the contents of every cupboard and drawer emptied out. Complaining wasn't going to get the job done. If she did the dishes (by hand!) and sat through her Father's interview she could be back upstairs in her room, with her headphones on and the volume up as far as it could go on the dial. Then she could go back to bed. Sleep had become a great escape as long as there were no voices to bother her.

Her Father didn't ask her if she wanted to go out running again. Despite their pointed conversation at the top of the hill, she knew that was too good to be true that he would make such an offer again. No one cared how she really felt. Especially her Father; She was convinced that he did not have a loving bone in his whole body. Her Mother may have been stupid where he was concerned, but she was not. Even though there was a part of her that would have given her eternal soul up to hear him actually say that he loved her.

Her friend Sarah McAllister got along well with her dad Kevin McAllister. They were actual buddies who went fishing together and she didn't even mind the multiple spouses and girlfriends that were a part of his history after her mother died. He talked to his daughter like a real person with feelings and didn't rule the house like a dictator trying to put the populace into submission. God help the United States of America if they elected Damien Thorn to be the next Commander-In-Chief. God help them.

Her hands felt like sandpaper from being in the soapy water. She hated menial chores. They only used staff for certain occasions as her Mother wanted to keep it real but it was still a façade. They were wealthy. She was only doing the dishes because her Father was a prick.

"I hope you did the glasses first."

"Yes, Mother." The proper dishwashing order was glasses, silverware, plates, and pots/pans.

Thankfully her Mother was done talking to Katie B. She couldn't stand the laughter coming from her Father's den. It was undignified and embarrassing for a Mother to do.

Ravender kept her back turned as she put a few squirts of green dishwashing soap in a pot and started to scrub.

"Is your Father still upstairs?"

"I guess so. Why?"

"I'd like to talk to you about your behavior. I remember what it is like to be a teenager. I know it can be scary to be growing up in the public eye. However you have a duty to be more diplomatic. You should be at your best all the time even if you don't feel that way on the inside. An executive role is very stressful and competitive, your Father has worked very hard to get where he is. You should be more understanding and quite frankly, less bratty."

Ravender turned around, her arms all soapy. Her Mother's last remark cutting her more than it should have.

"Is that all? I still have work to do."

"You can finish while we talk. Just think before speaking. It might help. I know you are grounded, but tomorrow we'll go shopping and buy your Father a gift and card for Father's Day. Our secret." She put her index finger to her lips in an attempt to be cute.

"Fine." She wished her Mother would go away. Ravender turned the water on full blast.

"This works out well because Katie B. and I going to Paris on Monday the 21st for a week."

A shiver went up Ravender's spine and she dumped the water out of the pot and turned off the faucet and quickly dried her hands with a towel.

"What? Why? Paris as in Paris, France?"

"We're going shopping and sightseeing. All I ask is that you obey your Father and be nice to him, no one likes a smart mouth."

She tried to play it like a tape in her brain. Katie B. destroys her Mother's purse and in the same day plans are made with them going on week long jaunt to Paris? The very same day that her Father made the announcement that he was running for President? Okay that made perfect sense in the fact that it made no sense. The only thing consistent was the inconsistency of it all.

"Sure."

Melissa went up and hugged her daughter, "I love you."

"I love you too." Ravender was happy that at least one of her parents could say it to her.

"Did you ever finish your birthday thank you notes?"

"Uh no…."

"You can do that before you go to bed, we'll put them in the mail tomorrow. Don't forget to put away everything you washed. Make sure the stove is clean too."

"Okay."

She looked like her Mother but she sounded like her Father. Weren't they supposed to watch Damien's interview together as a family? Why was her Mother in such a hurry to go upstairs? Then it hit the young girl as to why and she twisted her face at the thought as she continued doing this housework that she felt she was beneath her.

* * *

**Master Bedroom**

Melissa felt happier than she ever felt in a long time. Not only was she going to get to spend some real quality time in a city that she loved with one of her best friends, but her husband was quite amorous today when he returned home. The weight of him finally announcing running for President was probably off his shoulders.

When she walked in their bedroom she heard the shower running in the bathroom. Her mother told her once, no matter how tired and harried you may be, to put that aside and be a wife to your husband. She was about to knock on the door to see if he wanted company, but the phone rang.

"Hello?"

The male cleared his throat before speaking, "Hello, Melissa."

It was Kevin McAllister.

"Hi, Kevin. If you wanted to speak to Damien he is in the shower." Which is where Melissa wanted to be as well, but she was raised to be polite so she wasn't going to hang up.

"We were speaking on the phone earlier and he mentioned that you are going _on a well-deserved trip_ to Paris for a week."

"Yes. I'm looking quite forward to it."

"Since you won't be at home and Damien is busy, especially with his announcement today, Sarah and I would be happy to extend our home to your daughter."

That wasn't a bad idea at all. She didn't want to come home to find Damien stressed and Ravender hiding in her bedroom.

"I don't see this is as a problem, but I'll talk to Damien about this."

It was the Antichrist's idea, but let her think otherwise.

"Okay. I have to go and check on Sarah. You or Damien can call me back with the details. Bye."

"Will do, Kevin. Say hi to your daughter from me. Goodbye."

After talking to Kevin with the horrible timing, Melissa went to sit at her dressing table to put some soft perfume on her pulse points and she grabbed her hairbrush and wondered since she still had an active menstrual cycle and was not on the pill, would Damien want another child? The possibility of a four member First Family made her absolutely giddy with delight.

* * *

**Master Bathroom**

Damien stood in front of the mirror at the sink. His body was still wet and a white towel was wrapped around his waist.

He closed his eyes and pictured Melissa brushing her light brown hair with its light blonde highlights. She was prettying herself up for him because she was horny.

It was time to escort Melissa to her eventual death by making sure the circle of trust was intact and that meant to initiate sex with his wife.

* * *

**Living Room**

Ravender let out a small laugh as she laid out on the sofa holding the television remote control. This was so great that she had to rewind it. Katie B. looked like she also wanted to run for the highest office. The interviewer was male demographic eye candy with her over processed blonde almost-white hair and big chest in a tight white sweater. She probably knew nothing about current events if one took her scripts away.

This was awesome. He was such a fucking liar. How he could do this with his calm demeanor and not one hair out of place. She admitted that he was good. The stupid interviewer asked Damien in her squeaky voice, "Why do you want to run for President of the United States?" And her Father actually stated without missing a beat, "Because I care about the United States of America."

"No, you don't, Father, no you don't._ You don't care about me, but you suddenly care for all of America? Yeah, right_." Ravender giggled, this might have been the best ten minutes of television that she had ever seen in her life.

She didn't care about the boring first portion of the interview regarding Thorn. It was Damien's outright fib over caring about the country that had the teenage girl in hysterics.

_R - Liar Liar pants on fire._

* * *

**Master Bedroom**

Melissa was so immersed with brushing her hair that she didn't realize Damien had taken the hairbrush out of her hands as he kissed her neck and proceeded to unzip her dress.

Melissa stood up and wrapped her arms around her husband, pleased that he was only wearing a towel. She kissed him passionately on the lips. She felt so good about them and their family lately, they were in a good place.

"You know what I wish, Damien?" She purred in-between kisses while she let her hands wander so she could release his towel.

"What's that?" He nibbled on her ear, because he knew that was one of her androgynous zones.

"I wish you were in the White House right now, so I could say I fucked the President of the United States tonight."

He whispered in her ear, "Why don't we practice with you being the naughty First Lady?"

"I don't mind, _Mr. President_." At the same time the automatic timer dimmed the lights in their bedroom as Melissa kissed him frantically while Damien carried her to their bed to seal the deal and honor his Father's wishes.

* * *

**Living Room**

Ravender yawned as the remote control fell out of her hand and onto the plush brick red carpet.

There was no way she was going to go upstairs if her parents were upstairs "doing it". Yuck. Her room wasn't soundproofed enough to avoid hearing anything primal so she figured it was best for herself to wrap herself with the green throw blanket and fall asleep on the sofa.

The hilarious thought of her Father saying that he cared about America flowed in and out of her brain. He wouldn't make it to the nomination process. _The thought was too absurd. Damien Thorn – leader of the free world. Who in their right minds would vote for her father?_ Of course, he was so shady; he would probably scheme to ensure victory.

This was not her problem other than having to be along for the uncomfortable ride. She just wished that there was someone here to hold her and keep her safe. She finally fell asleep letting the nothingness take her for another night.

_**Author's Note: How can I not put up an Omen chapter on June 6th? ;)** _


	9. Father's Day (13)

**Chapter 9**

**Father's Day – 13**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**June 20, 1999**

**The Occasion: **

**Before Melissa and Katie B. go to Paris, it is Father's Day for Damien.**

A Sunday storm was brewing.

Ravender Thorn was quite angry that her Mother woke her up at four in the morning. They were in the kitchen making breakfast or rather Melissa was doing the cooking for her husband and Ravender was forced out of her warm bed to assist in the what-she-knew-to-be-thankless task.

Did her Mother actually believe that her Father would appreciate all of this effort? Did he ever? She didn't know what went behind their closed bedroom door and she never wanted to know. Damien would be polite, say he was busy and then would then leave his family to go play eighteen holes at the Country Lakes Golf Club.

Ravender was rolling an orange on the wooden cutting board because her Mother said it made the fruit easier to squeeze when making homemade orange juice.

She stared out the window and the sky seemed ominous. A storm was coming. The weather outside harmoniously matched how her body felt on the inside.

"Oh dear," Melissa declared while looking out the window, "It looks like a storm is approaching."

She didn't want to say anything to her daughter; maybe if it rained all day, Damien would not want to go golfing with his business associates. She wasn't going to see her husband and daughter for a week and it did break her heart. She was going to miss the both of them.

"Mother, where is the orange strainer?"

"In the cupboard, next to the toaster."

"If it's raining Father won't go out for a run."

"Then he will exercise inside." She felt that Damien was better motivated in keeping physically fit then she was. Melissa would rather shop and stay busy with charitable activities. She hardly found the time to go to her twice-a-week aerobics class.

A sudden loud crack of thunder made Ravender almost spill the orange juice that she was trying to pour into two small glasses that were decorated with painted orange half-slices.

"Hopefully we won't lose any power. Why don't you see if your Father is up? I don't want to start the eggs too early."

"Okay."

It wasn't really fine. She supposed she could just quietly take a peek in his room to see if her Father was awake. She couldn't attempt doing the conversation in her head as her Mother could not know that, she still had to make the effort to go upstairs and physically check.

She just wanted the day over with, yet she still did her slow walk up the stairs.

She didn't want to talk to Damien today. When she got to the top she took a deep breath and proceeded to walk down the hallway to the master bedroom. How was she going to do this? Her Mother had absolutely no idea on what she asked her to do. It wasn't just a simple matter to see if her Father was awake or not.

It was a whole ordeal. He hated being disturbed, whether that was part of the _Satan thing_ or just part of his authoritative personality, she had no idea. She counted to three in her head and quietly turned the doorknob. She breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't see him. Maybe he was in the bathroom and that would constitute him as being 'up' and she could tell her Mother to go ahead and finish cooking his stupid breakfast that he would not appreciate. His voice came out of nowhere like the thunder outside.

"What do you want?"

"Where are you, Father?"

"Come around the bed…" Her intuition was severely lacking.

Ravender walked around the bed to see her Father on the floor doing sit-ups. Score one for her Mother.

"Mother wants to know if you are up before she makes breakfast. It's obvious that you are – so I'm going to leave now." She tried not to trip over her words, but her Father was so damn intimidating.

"She can start. Ravender, before you go…." Damien continued doing sit-ups.

"What?" She tried her best for that to not come out as bratty sounding.

"I need you to go into your room and pack a suitcase."

"W-what for?" Was she going to be killed?

"Fucking relax, will you, child? I have too much to do than to babysit you for a week – you will be staying with your friend Sarah."

She breathed a visible sign of relief.

"Really, Father? No joke."

"Since when do I joke around with you?"

"That's true – _you __don't __have a sense of humor_." She hoped that that was not being disrespectful. It was the truth.

"Are you done with what you think you know? Pack what you need. You will be leaving tonight."

"Fine."

How come her Mother didn't tell her any of this? Why was she just finding all of this out now? He might have been _evil, _but she was just as bad of a parent as he was.

It bothered her that he continued right on exercising without once stopping to look her in the eyes to actually converse with her. It was just easier to leave him be.

She left her parents room and closed the door behind her. The upcoming week might be better after all. She was going to stay with her friend Sarah McAllister. It wasn't all about Damien and Melissa. She deserved a break from her parents as well.

* * *

**Start Flashback**

**Ridgely School **

**Dorm – 36**

**May**

**After Finals  
**

**1 Month Ago**

Ravender threw her school books with their paper covers on her perfectly made bed, a complete contrast to how she lived at home.

She was finished with her finals. It was another easy 'A'. As long as she did "her best" her Mother was happy, but her Father was a different story, she knew she had to get straight 'A''s in order just to please him. She unclasped her navy blue tie.

"Goodbye, Peter Pan collar blouses!" Sarah exclaimed while looking in their floor length mirror. The junior high uniform was a blue blazer with RA logo in a shield, white blouse, navy snap tie, and a gray and blue plaid mix skirt.

"A uniform is still a uniform." Although it would be a smidgen better to wear the high-school version, it was still mandated dressing.

The difference to show rank with the other kids was in the required blazer where each grade had a different chosen color. They were green for freshmen, gray for sophomores, navy for juniors, and red for the seniors. It was a way to show your grade status without having to open up one's mouth.

Sarah sat on her bed by the window. "I cannot wait for summer vacation. Daddy is taking me to Greece in August. Don't forget our Fourth of July party." She took her elastic ponytail holder out, to reveal her long blonde hair.

"I don't know what we're doing, probably the same old crappy vacation."

Where her Mother shopped in the highest end boutiques, her Father went off on his own (probably screwing multiple strange women), and unless she had to accompany her, she preferred to sulk alone in the hotel suite. Then they would have dinner together inside the five star hotel restaurant and act like they were a picture perfect family on the offshoot their picture wound up in the society pages.

_The perfect Thorn family was a crock. _

"Your mother is so lucky." Sarah enthused.

"Why is that?"

"She gets to screw your handsome father every night."

"Gross!" Ravender threw her pillow at her. She could barely tolerate her friends crush on her Father, but she did NOT want to think about her parents having sexual relations ever. NOT EVER.

"I'm just ribbing you. Next school term is going to be awesome. We can finally date the boys at the military academy!"

Ravender didn't know about _**THAT**_. Too many Thorn men attended Davidson including her Father.

"You know what I'd rather do?" Ravender offered.

"What?"

"Before we have to pack up and leave this place for another term, let's go out and grab a pizza. My treat." Ravender still had money left on her bank card.

"Sure. Maybe afterwards we can ride with Jackie Seabrook since she is sixteen and has her license and we can snoop on the boys in uniform?" Their classes were still in session because their finals started on Wednesday.

"I don't have a choice do I?"

"No, Ravender, you don't. You're going to be thirteen in a month! You'll get your menstrual cycle soon."

She was the last of her friends to be on the rag.

"Don't remind me," She needed to get the subject back on track, "Is Crystal Diaz going? You know the two of us don't get along." Her parents were both high-powered attorney's and she always had to say something about her parents. The nastier comments were especially reserved for her Father and his political leanings and how he ran his company. Ravender thought_** ONLY SHE could insult her parents; no one else had the right.** _

"Nah. She high-tailed it out of here after her algebra final, so you have no excuses, come on! Skip the pizza; I think we should find a potential boyfriend for you."

"Let's not. Why don't we eat first?"

Sarah sensed that her friend was uncomfortable. "Okay. We'll eat first, but we should make a point to go to visit the boys. They look so handsome in their uniforms." Sarah saw Damien's school high school photographs once; even back then he was movie-star attractive.

"Fine, but if I want to leave, I will, even if I have to walk."

"Come on, Thorn. We're teenagers. Well, you will be in June. We're supposed to be carefree."

Ravender did her best to smile. She really wasn't interested in having a boyfriend at the moment, so scoping out potentials seemed like a waste of everyone's time especially her own.

"I guess so."

"We're best friends we will be having lots of adventures together. Maybe my Dad will let you stay with us after our Fourth of July party. Do you think your parents will say yes? You can work on your mother and I'll work on your father."

"That sounds like a good idea," Neither girl did not know that the upcoming summer was going to change their lives and destinies forever,** "Maybe this summer won't be so bad at all."**

**End flashback**

* * *

Ravender snapped the blue hardback suitcase closed. It was a vintage one that belonged to her Mother. It had clasps instead of a zipper that went all around the circumference. The security key was lost though, but she was only going to visit her friend Sarah so she didn't have to worry about securing it.

She didn't want to eat breakfast. No, that wasn't entirely accurate. She did not want to eat at the table with her parents.

"Good! You finally came downstairs!" Melissa gushed.

Ravender would rather stand outside and get drenched from the pouring rain than to listen to her Mother's optimistic crap for another second.

"As you can see."

"Did you wish your Father a Happy Father's Day?"

Ravender was about to stumble out a quick and meaningless greeting but what her Father did surprised and confused her all at the same time.

"Yes she did, when she went upstairs to see if I was up." Damien stated without missing a beat.

_R – Father, why did you lie about that? _

"Good. Before you have your breakfast, I want to take a photograph."

_R- Oh, please don't._

Ravender was pissed that her Father could not be bothered with her presence. He was going to finish his meal, while her Mother wanted to preserve the day on film. She was at least thankful that it wasn't the video camera.

He was purposely not paying attention to her and her Mother was absentmindedly not paying any mind to her. For different reasons they were both lousy parents.

Melissa thought it was too early to give Damien his gift, but she still had to finish her packing before leaving for O'Hare Airport with Katie to board the Thorn private jet.

"I bet you're excited, Sweetie to spend time with Sarah."

_R- How nice of the both of you to give me such advance notice. _

"Yes."

"Here's an idea, Honey, before you leave the McAllister's you should get started on your thank you note as it took you forever to finish the ones from your birthday."

"Of course, mother."

_R- Father, say something, even if it's in my head…say something. _

How could her Father just sit at the table, eat breakfast and ignore her? It really made her angry, but she pressed it down inside herself as far as she could.

"Missy, do you need help with the camera?"

_R- Why are you being kind to my Mother? Don't answer me. I hate you. Fuck you, Father. _

"I think I have it set. When I get back from Paris I think I'll start scrapbooking. That will be a nice mother and daughter activity. Ravender, stand by your Father. – After you put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher first, so they don't ruin the picture."

_R- Because that's what I really want to do – be a servant and preserve these fake family moments. Father, why aren't you yelling at me? _

Ravender thought her Mother was impossible. The quickest way to do this was just like when she had to meet the so-called important people in her parent's lives, she just took a deep breath, and posed for a picture or said stale small-talk after a while it became like a prepared script.

Damien put his arm around his daughter, "Just take two pictures." He didn't have all day.

Melissa figured her husband was just tired. Maybe, she'd give him his present later on after she finished packing. She took her pictures and was taken out of her thoughts when the phone rang.

"Sweetie, get the phone for me." Melissa was trying to turn the camera off.

_R – Father, are your arms broken that you can't answer the phone? Okay. Best voice. _

"Hello?"

The last person Katie B. wanted to talk to was that urchin.

"Hello. Is your mother available?" Katie B. had been packed for this trip from the moment Damien okayed it.

The last person that Ravender wanted to talk to was that whore. "Sure. Hold on….Mother, it's Katie."

She studied her Father's face for a reaction there was none. He only kissed her Mother on the cheek and said he was going to his den to check his phone messages.

_R – Since no one cares, I'll just go upstairs and either jump out the window or go back to bed. _

Something felt different in the air, much like the scent after a rainstorm, but she wasn't quite sure what it was. _ Only that it was different. _

* * *

**15 Minutes Later  
**

Melissa smiled as she hung up the phone. Katie B. was certainly anxious to get their vacation started. It certainly couldn't have been easy for her as Chief Operations Officer, while Damien was Chairman and CEO. That was a lot of stress for a woman in any modern workplace. She admired her for breaking the mythical glass ceiling as they were teenagers during the modern feminist movement when it was chic to burn your bra at a public rally. Of course, she couldn't do so being the Presidential Daughter.

Melissa wanted to check on Ravender and make sure that she was all right and that she packed everything she needed.

The Thorn private jet was going to take her to Martha's Vineyard where the McAllister's had their summer home and be back in plenty of time for her and Katie to have a much needed women-only-vacation in the City of Light. After she stopped in Hermes to make sure her purse got repaired, and of course, shop. She couldn't wait to go Chanel and see if she could find a suit that would be presentable for her future role as First Lady of the United States.

Melissa bit her lip, she was getting ahead of herself, but she knew how determined Damien could be. It seemed a lock, a formality to get to the electoral process. He would be President, she could feel it, and truth be told, she thought it was fascinating for herself to go from First Daughter to First Lady; it was one way to add to her biography for future historical texts.

* * *

**20 Minutes Later  
**

No. No. No.

Was her mother on drugs? At least she was too self-involved with her own trip to even think about taking a special picture of her doing so. She handed her daughter a white gift bag. There was a blue tag attached to one of the handles to which Ravender opened and silently read:

_**Dear Damien,  
**_

_**Happy Father's Day. **_

_**Best of luck (not that you need it) to the future President of the US. **_

_**Much Love, Missy and Ravender. **_

"Since you are finished with your packing, why don't you go downstairs and give your Father his gift?"

"Sure." She knew her Father hated being disturbed and he wasn't going to care about this gift.

"Good. If you need me, I'll be in my room, Sweetie."

Once again her mother was sending her to the lions – no the wolves – the young girl thought. It had to be done. The sooner she did all of the crap that her parents required of her, the sooner she would be in Martha's Vineyard with her friend Sarah, where they could swim in the pool or play tennis on the clay court.

All she had to do was give her Father his present, but she still took the slow walk downstairs and stood at the door for what seemed like two minutes, but it was only thirty seconds. She gently knocked and hoped that he would gruffly tell her to "go away" and then she could put bags handles around the gold doorknob and leave the gift behind.

"Come in, Ravender."

When she opened the door she wasn't surprised that her Father did not look up and continued writing with his fancy pen in his ledger book.

_Sixth day after – Replace card. _

"Father, Mother wanted me to give this to you." She put the bag on the empty chair as to not to disturb anything on his pristine desk. She thought she could turn around and leave, but for some reason she stayed there.

"I can't reach it from there so why don't you just hand it to me?"

"Oh, okay," She was expecting him to yell, it was only a matter-of-time, "I had…this was…It was completely Mother's idea."

Damien looked at the pristine white bag and read the note card. Melissa would have wanted the blue tissue paper, so he had to make the effort to not destroy it because his daughter was present.

It was to be done on Day Three and he warned Katie B. of the consequences of not following his instructions.

Damien pulled out a black velvet ring sized type box. He opened it. It was an American flag pin in 18k gold, with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires for the stars and stripes. He supposed he could use it on the campaign trail; the idiot masses would like it pinned to his lapel and would gush on how patriotic he was, just because he wore a flag.

"You don't have to wear it." Ravender piped up.

"Thank you for telling me what I can and cannot do. I would be lost without your valuable input. You can go now."

Cold as ice. No. That wasn't true. Damien was colder than ice. There was a part of her that was glad that he _finally _put her down today, at least that meant that he actually acknowledged her. She was more than happy to close the door behind her and go back upstairs; she wasn't prepared almost bumping into her mother on the stairwell.

"Hey there, Honey. Did your Father like his gift?" She needed to get Damien's Centurion Card, better known in popular culture as the Black American Express Card, as she didn't have one of her own.

Ravender did have more similarities with her Father than she cared to admit. Oh, fuck it. She was tired. Why not just lie to her clueless Mother?

"Yes Mother, he loved his gift very much, for in his own way, he told me so."

_**Author's Note: Thanks to JoanMilton for helping me organize the school blazer hierarchy colors. **_

_**How can I not put up a chapter called Father's Day on actual Father's Day in the US? ;) **_

_**I went through every chapter to do some much needed fan fic housecleaning. **_


End file.
